Utah State Tax Commission Approves License Plates with Gay-Positive Messages
In
a win for free speech, the Utah State Tax Commission ruled on
July 27 that it will approve three personalized license plates
with gay-positive messages. The ACLU of Utah represented a Utah
woman in appealing the Commission’s initial decision to deny the
plates.
Read
more about the Tax Commission’s ruling >>
ACLU of Utah Works to Protect Anonymous Internet Speech
On August 17, the ACLU of Utah and the Electronic Frontier Foundation
filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the First Amendment
right to speak anonymously on issues of public concern. The brief
was in regards to a U.S. District Court case in Utah that arose,
in part, out of anonymous postings from a Yahoo group and several
weblogs. The anonymous critics’ identities were protected
when the plaintiff dropped over 100 defendants from his lawsuit.
Read more about Merkey v. Yahoo SCOX >>
Join
the ACLU of Utah and Friends at One of Three Gatherings
This
month, the ACLU of Utah and friends are hosting three parties,
and you are invited. The first will take place on Wednesday, September
7 in Salt Lake City; the second will take place on Thursday, September
8 in Park City; and the third will take place on Friday, September
30 at Sundance.
Contact us if you are interested in learning more about these
events >>
Visit Us at Upcoming Salt Lake City Neighborhood Fairs
On Saturday, September 10, visit us at our booth at the Avenues
Street Fair. This year’s fair will take place from 9:00
am to 7:00 p.m. on South Temple Street between Q and Virginia
Streets. The following Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
we’ll be at the annual 9th and 9th Street Festival, on
900 South and 900 East. Support one or both of these great events
and be sure to stop by and say hello.
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Action Alert: The Fight to Reform the Patriot Act Is Not
Over
Both houses of Congress have passed bills to renew the expiring
parts of the Patriot Act. The Senate bill, while flawed in places,
is significantly better than both the House bill and current law.
The Senate has approved important steps toward reform, including:
- Requiring statements of fact on the relevancy of personal
records in foreign intelligence investigations
- A meaningful right to challenge orders for personal records
- More judicial oversight and checks on abuse in personal
record searches
- Shorter delays for notification of secret “sneak and
peak” searches
- A shorter expiration for the most controversial sunset provisions,
primarily Section 215
The
House and Senate reconciliation conference begins September 19.
Key reforms in the bipartisan Senate bill must be preserved to
restore fundamental checks and balances. Act now to urge your
elected officials to support the modest improvements in the Senate
bill, and to reject the House’s expansions and cosmetic
changes. It is especially important that Congressman Rob Bishop
hear from his constituents.
Contact
Congress today before the impending votes on expanding the Patriot
Act >>
Learn
more about the Patriot Act >>
Coming
to TV on September 8: “The ACLU Freedom Files”
On September 8, the ACLU will launch a new chapter in the history
of activism with the premiere of “Beyond the Patriot Act.”
Produced by the ACLU and Robert Greenwald (“Unconstitutional,”
“Outfoxed”), “Beyond the Patriot Act”
is the first episode of “The ACLU Freedom Files,”
a ground-breaking series that goes beyond the headlines to reveal
how the law affects the civil liberties of real people everyday.
Find out where you can watch “Beyond the Patriot Act”
>>
Get
Involved!
JOIN
THE ACLU
DONATE ONLINE
VISIT WWW.ACLUUTAH.ORG
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