Local
Action
The
chapter participated in Rant and Rave, Phase 3: Unify at Wedge
Gallery on July 29, 2006
This
year's Rant and Rave theme of "Unify" was to build momentum
for working towards a sustainable culture, one that includes not
only respecting the available material resources that determine
quality of life but also respecting vital cultural resources like
independent media, freedom of expression, education. The evening
began with a seminar featuring speakers from organizations that
in various ways are proactive in building these aspects of a sustainable
culture. Live music, d.j's, modern dance and performance poetry
followed the seminar.
All
profits went towards Poetix, an arts-in-education program that
is a unique workshop series teaching spoken-word poetry to disadvantaged
youth. Poetix just completed its pilot phase serving young men
committed to the
Swannanoa Valley Youth Development Center, funded by the Asheville
Area Arts Council and the Media Arts Project.
Protecting
Public Areas – Vance Monument, Asheville
We try to avoid litigation by communicating about a problem outside
of the courtroom in an effort to convince the violator to fix
the problem outside of court. For instance, when the Vance Monument
area was closed by the city after the anti-war demonstrations
last spring, the state office wrote the city expressing ACLU concerns,
and the City did revise its closure policy, although there is
still a problem with the city’s subsequent overly vague
“policy’” which would allow the City arbitrarily
to disallow public gatherings there.
Defending the Treatment of a Muslim
Prisoner in Buncombe County Jail
Another example of the kind of work we do at the local level to
head off litigation comes from our own county jail. We have been
in communication with a practicing Muslim detained there for 2
years awaiting trial who has experienced frequent and various
levels of harassment, including not accommodating fasting during
the month of Ramadan and a personal attack on his religious affiliation.
In
response to this, WNC ACLU President, Karen Van Eman, contacted
the jail administration, and shortly thereafter Bruce Elmore,
a member of our state legal committee met with Jail Administration.
The administration agreed to revise its Ramadan dietary policy.
Processes like this occur at the state level, as well. Thus one
of the responsibilities of local chapters is to function out of
court on behalf of citizens who may be experiencing civil liberties
violations or who, judging from history, appear vulnerable to
civil liberties violations. More
Details
Preserving
the Rights of Anti-War Demonstrators
Thinking along these lines, after the questionable police treatment
of anti-war demonstrators last spring, our chapter purchased a
video camera and tripod to rent out to any group planning a demonstration/public
event as a way of documenting the behavior of demonstrators, counter-demonstrators,
and of police. For instance, it was rented by the Oldenwilde Coven
for their celebration of Samhaim and by other parties holding
Peace Rallies.
Working
with NC State Chapter
When a local unit of government fails to respond to non-litigious
communications in support of an individual, then the individual
may be referred to the State office and its Legal Committee.
Educating Locally About National
Threats on Civil Liberties
Another responsibility of a chapter is to educate locally about
potential and/or real threats to civil liberties and ACLU issues.
For instance, our chapter has held a forum on threats to civil
liberties posed by changes in Justice Dept. practices since Mr.
Ashcroft became Attorney Gen., and we participated with others,
including the local association of librarians in a forum last
July on the dangers in parts of the Patriot
Act. In January, we co-sponsored and provided the speakers
(F and B) for a program on the legal morass faced by the prisoners
being detained indefinitely at Guantanamo
Bay without charge and without legal counsel and without their
families knowledge.
Supporting Abortion Rights
We co-sponsored with NOW and Planned Parenthood a pro-choice event
on the anniversary of Roe-v. Wade. Reproductive choice has long
been an ACLU issue, predating even the birth of NOW. It’s
not a matter of being pro-abortion; it’s simply a matter
of being pro-choice. We do not think the government should be
in charge of people’s reproductive decisions.
Backing Gay and Lesbian Rights
We presented a program to CLOSER (the granddaddy of all WNC support
groups for lesbians, gay, bi- and transgendered individuals),
on ACLU concerns about threats to the right of privacy of gay,
lesbian, bi- and transgendered individuals in our state. On April
20, we provided another program for CLOSER on the proposed constitutional
amendment that would limit marriage and its ” legal incidents”
to only married heterosexual couples. The presenter was former
state board and legal committee member Ellen Gerber, who has a
long history in connection with the civil liberties interests
of gay/lesbian/bi/trans individuals.
Sponsoring
Community Events
Something that was truly fun as well as educational was our co-sponsorship
of the Rant and Rave Poetry Slam in Celebration of the First Amendment
with Arts 2 People in December, 2003. (Arts 2 People is a nonprofit
which connects people who ordinarily don’t get the opportunity
to have lessons or arts experience with the various arts--e.g.
young people in the social services system and the handicapped
and also organizes the Lexington Ave. Art Fair.
Bill
of Rights Day
At the urging of the ACLU of WNC, Asheville's Mayor Charles
R. Worley issued a City of Asheville Proclamation for
Bill of Rights Day, December 5th. Likewise, because of
ACLU commitments to Human Rights and because our Constitution
requires our country to follow as if they were our own
laws the international treaties we've signed, Mayor Worley
also issued at our urging a proclamation observing Human
Rights Day (December 10).
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