Wednesday September 8, 2010
Category >> Civil Liberties
Federalism, Phonies, and the Fringe Right
Russ Conway |  August 19, 2010
That other blog feels the need to defend the all so "spontaneous" outrage from "millions" of faux patriots on the fringe right over the proposed mosque in the NYC financial district. Good to see those folks are focused on the most important issues of the day! What could be more important than debating…

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Me Party Patriots
Russ Conway |  July 03, 2010
Ever notice that the more people make, the less they seem to care about everyone else? Turns out, that’s not your imagination. Researchers at the University of Utah have found exactly that:  the more you make, the meaner you are. ...higher income inequality between executives and ordinary workers…

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SCOTUS handgun ruling a victory for Civil Rights
Bruce Reilly |  June 30, 2010
In a controversial 5 to 4 ruling, the US Supreme Court declared that Chicago's near blanket ban on handguns violates the Second Amendment of the US Constitution.  It is the first time the Court has expressly extended the Second Amendment to private citizens, rather than consider it a "state's rights"…
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Hey Joe..., are you serious?
Brian Hull |  May 05, 2010
Somehow, this doesn't surprise me coming from Joe Lieberman. In arguing against the reading of Miranda rights to terrorism suspects or affording them other constitutional protections, opponents of civil liberties run up against a powerful argument when dealing with American citizens.   Read More...

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Ending Guantanamo: a speech by Jonathan Hafetz - April 19
Brian Hull |  April 19, 2010
Ending Guantánamo - Torture, Illegal Detention, and the Challenges to Restoring the Rule of Law A speech by Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney with the ACLU's National Security Project and editor of The Guantánamo Lawyers: Inside a Prison Outside the Law. Read More...

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Texas Two-Step after "baby-killer" shouter gets ID'd
Pat Crowley |  March 23, 2010
(h/t Chuck Todd) GOPPER Randy Neugebauer must be feeling the heat after yelling “baby killer” at anti-choice Bart Stupak.  He released this video today.  Anyone else think this is spooky? Read More...

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Sheldon Submits; Trusts Obama Not to Abuse Bush's Patriot Act?
Bruce Reilly |  February 27, 2010
With only two outspoken opponents to Patriot Act re-authorization, the House voted on Thursday to continue roving wiretaps, mandating the release of private data, and monitoring of foreigners who are neither connected to terrorist groups nor foreign governments.  Sheldon Whitehouse had a few…
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National and Local Anti-gay/Anti-choice Groups to Hold Conference in RI
OutNewsRI |  February 19, 2010
On Feb. 27, the national Family Research Council – one of the most anti-gay/anti-choice groups in America – is coming to Smithfield, RI, to sponsor a conference called the “New England Family, Life & Marriage Summit.” The National Organization for Marriage Rhode Island is hosting. According…
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NOM-RI Goes After Straight Families Too
OutNewsRI |  February 02, 2010
Just in case you thought you didn’t have to worry about the National Organization for Marriage and its Rhode Island chapter attacking your family because you’re straight, you may want to read a recent NOM-RI blog with the headline: Biological Parents Are Best. The blog was written by Maggie Gallagher,…
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I'm back..with a question
Malachi Constant |  January 04, 2010
Something has been bothering me about the way the rightists are approaching what to do about the latest terrorist suspect.  It has come up every time one of this kind of thing happens:   Read More...

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I Cannot Tell a Lie?
Russ Conway |  July 14, 2009
The fringe-right continues to deny the obvious, most recently with this mea culpa letter to the Projo editorial page. Having already punched holes in the original talking point that the handouts were not solicitations, the spin seems to have shifted to the idea that these Heritage Foundation flacks just…
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"At any rate I'll never go THERE again!"
Russ Conway |  July 09, 2009
"It's the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!" Projo reports today: Read More...

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ACLU to Test Obama's Commitment to Transparency
Russ Conway |  January 28, 2009
Well, it seems we may see some UK-type transparency after all. The ACLU requested today that the Obama administration "release Justice Department memos that provided the legal underpinning for harsh interrogations, eavesdropping and secret prisons." "The president has made a very visible and clear commitment…
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I Spy for You and Me
Russ Conway |  January 06, 2009
So what's wrong with a little surveillance if you have nothing to hide, right? Problem is, these types of excesses seem to follow (h/t Progressive Review): The Maryland State Police surveillance of advocacy groups was far more extensive than previously acknowledged, with records showing that troopers…
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It Can't Happen Here?
Russ Conway |  September 13, 2008
More bad news for civil libertarians, as the FBI requests increased power to spy on Americans without evidence of wrongdoing. What could possible go wrong with that?! "Handing this kind of latitude to an organization already rife with internal oversight problems is a huge mistake," said Caroline…

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General Taguba - Administration Committed War Crimes
Russ Conway |  June 18, 2008
A report released today, Broken Laws, Broken Lives, documents medical evidence supporting the claims of 11 detainees who allege they were tortured while in U.S custody.   After years of disclosures by government investigations, media accounts, and reports from human rights organizations, there…
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Secret Authorization of Torture
Russ Conway |  October 05, 2007
It’s really disturbing the lengths the administration will go to deceive the American people. The New York Times yesterday highlights yet another example of the Bush administration making false public statements and then using state secrecy to avoid Congressional and public scrutiny of their abuses.…
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Proof of CIA Involvement in Torture of Canadian
Russ Conway |  August 17, 2007
A Canadian court this month forced the release of documents implicating the CIA in the Maher Arar torture scandal. The Canadian government had argued against their release for national security reasons. "The information released by Canada is significant because it confirms that governments cannot…

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