News & Commentary

Sanford Middle School in Minneapolis was chosen as the second place winner in a nation-wide art contest that was a part of the ACLU's Constitution Day education program. They received a $7,500 cash award. The Constitution Day program's mission is to teach middle-schoolers about the importance and relevance of the Constitution in their everyday lives.

In Minnesota there are nearly 700 people imprisoned under the Minnesota Sexual Offenders program, at a prison-like treatment facility because they have been deemed "sexual psychopathic" or "sexually dangerous". Individuals are sent to the MSOP program because after a sex offender completes his or her prison sentence, the state can ask for a hearing to decide whether this "civil commitment" is necessary because the offender is still dangerous. The hearings that determine whether these individuals are dangerous are civil, not criminal, so the state does not have to prove as much as in a criminal case to commit people. The state argues that civil commitment is meant to protect the community from future sex crimes not punish those convicted for past crimes. Sex offenders committed in these hearings may be held forever.

The Constitution is arguable the most important founding document in the United States. It affects all of us pretty much every day; however it does not allow you to say whatever you want without any consequences. The most recent example where the Constitution was misrepresented was when countless politicians, media personnel and just general folks said the firing of patriarch of Duck Dynasty for making anti-gay comments violated his freedom of speech.

Help us spread racial justice across southern Minnesota

On Tuesday November 12, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota honored Justice Paul Anderson with its 17th Annual Earl Larson Award. The large reception, which included many current and former judges, honored Justice Anderson for his lifelong commitment to the defense of civil liberties.

This post was originally published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Friday November 1st as an op-ed.

In a few weeks the Minnesota Vikings will face off against the Washington Redskins at the Metrodome. During the game and throughout the coverage one will see the Redskins name and logo all over, on the scoreboards at the field, in the newspapers and on TV. We should use this opportunity to have an honest discussion about why team names like the Redskins are offensive and why we should no longer use them. The ACLU-MN is encouraging all parties involved in the upcoming Vikings/Washington Redskins game to do the right thing and not call the team by the offensive name Redskins but instead call them Washington.

Today kicks off the start of Banned Book Week. Every year I go through the lists of the most popular books that were challenged the previous year to see what made the cut and why people wanted them banned.

What was supposed to be an unremarkable trip to the bank for Gaylord resident Jesus Mendoza quickly turned into an Orwellian nightmare. While attempting to make a deposit at a bank “drive thru,” law enforcement approached the vehicle she was in, questioned the two occupants, and later arrested the driver.