vol. 63, no. 6

aclu

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Wo.tume LX

t five minutes to five on September

Ae - hoping to sneak by reporters'

ews deadlines, Governor Gray

Davis vetoed SB 78 - the "DWB - Driving

While Black or Brown Bill," which would

have required law enforcement agencies

throughout California to collect data

regarding the race and ethnicity of all dri-

vers stopped by the police. The bill (for-

mally "California Traffic Stops Statistics

Act"), authored by Senator Kevin Murray

(D-Los Angeles), overwhelmingly passed

the Assembly 61-16 and the Senate 29-0

two weeks prior to the veto.

"Racial profiling by law enforcement

agencies is a leading civil rights issue of

the 1990's and by vetoing this historic bill

Governor Davis is turning his back on

California's communities of color" said

Michelle Alexander, Director of the ACLU-

NC Racial Justice Project. "For decades,

people of color have been stopped by police

simply because of the color of their skin.

This bill would have been a small, but

important, step in putting an end to racist

police practices throughout the state."

Despite his futile attempt to bury the |

Governor Davis was condemned |

throughout the state and nationally by civil |

rights groups, community leaders, and law |

issue,

enforcement agencies that represent offi-

cers of color.

Ronald Hampton, Executive Director |

of the National Black Police Association, |

representing 35,000 African American offi-

cers nationwide, said, "As working police |

officers we know how destructive the prob- |

lem of racial profiling is to our ability to |

serve our communities. Governor Davis -

had an opportunity to help those of usin |

law enforcement get the attention of our

colleagues in a state with a well-document-

ed history of police misconduct problems.

His veto, unfortunately, only encourages |

those in law enforcement who think they -

can simply ignore this issue. As a police |

officer and as an African American, I can

tell the Governor that this issue is not

going away," Hampton said.

NovEMBER-DECEMBER 1999

Governor Vetoes "DWB"' Bill

ACLU Vows to Keep Up Challenge to Race-Based Police Stops

Bob Stewart, Executive Director of the

National Organization of Black Law

Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) repre-

senting 3,500 high ranking African

American police officials nationwide and a

leader in law enforcement nationally in

crafting and advocating for solutions to

racial profiling problems, described

Governor Davis' veto as "highly unfortu-

nate and out of sync with efforts in other

states across the nation to proactively

address this issue through comprehensive

data collection."

An editorial in the San Francisco

Chronicle noted that though the Governor

called the practice of racial profiling

"abhorrent," he "passed up the chance to

really do something about it....No amount

of rhetoric by the governor can compen-

sate for his rejection of this bill's very mod-

est attempt to get to the truth," the

Chronicle editorial stated.

In his veto message, Governor Davis

tried to take credit for "ordering" the

California Highway Patrol (CHP) to collect

similar data. In fact, the CHP had already |

publicly volunteered to collect this data -_|

following similar moves by state police

agencies in Florida, New Jersey, Michigan,

Oregon and elsewhere.

In addition, Governor Davis' belated

statement encouraging voluntary data col-

lection by law enforcement agencies

comes almost four full months after

President Clinton issued the same chal-

lenge. In fact, 34 California agencies have

already answered the President's chal-

lenge with voluntary data collection pro-

grams, but hundreds of other California

agencies - including those with some of

the most severe police-community rela-

tions problems in the state (Los Angeles,

Riverside) - have stubbornly refused.

"Those agencies who still remain in denial

on this issue are simply not going to

respond to the Governor's timid encour-

agement," said John Crew, Director of the

ACLU-NC Police Practice Project. "That's

why a comprehensive statewide bill was

crucial. His veto amounts to a wink and a

nod' to law enforcement that they don't

have to take this issue seriously."

Crew called it "stunningly disingenu-

ous" that Governor Davis would publicly

claim that requiring statewide data col-

lection on traffic stops would set a "bad

precedent" of the state placing mandates

on local agencies. For decades the state

penal code has required local law enforce-

ment agencies to collect and report a

dizzying array of statistics on various

activities. This bill would have simply

added four new categories of data on traf-

fic enforcement practices for just two

years to a detailed statistical report long- |

published by the state on an annual basis.

"In fact, it is the Governor's veto that is

establishing the horrible precedent," added

Crew. "Governor Davis is sending a mes-

sage to local law enforcement agencies

across the state that the issue of racial

profiling is not important enough for the

state to assert its authority to protect the

civil rights of all Californians against

racist police practices" he said. "Decades

ago, southern sheriffs like Bull Connor

argued that local officials should be left to

voluntarily address any local civil rights

problems on their own. We are stunned

that Governor Davis would be claiming -

Continued on page 2

"Fight Knight."

ACLU Launches Campaign

Against Knight "Defense of

Marriage"' Initiative

Charging that "the Knight Initiative is a `wedge issue,' fanning the flames of homo-

phobia," Jeff Mittman, (r.) Chair of the ACLU-NC Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and

Transgender Rights Chapter, joined by staff attorney Bob Kim and PFLAG activist

Mitzi Henderson, called on ACLU-NC activists to get involved in the campaign to

Mittman was speaking at a panel at the 1999 ACLU Activists Conference, where ACLU

members learned about the dangerous initiative and signed up for campaign activi-

ties in their local communities. More on the conference on page 3.

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See Inside: Board of Directors Election See pages 4 and 5 ;

Taking On The Youth Crime Initiative

BY VAN JONES,

Director, ELLA BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

The ACLU-NC is committed to fighting the Juvenile Justice Initiative slated for the

March 2000 ballot. This dangerous initiative, initiated by former Governor Pete Wilson,

wil put our youth into jail track lives. Here, former ACLU-NC Board Member and youth

advocate Van Jones, provides insight into the detatls and impact of the initiative, provid-

ing crucial information for ACLU activists who are mobilizing to fight this terrifying mea-

sure. After reading this analysis, please sign up to be part of the campaign to stop the

initiative (page 8.)

his is a complex initiative that

[Namen a complex status quo.

Although there is not enough space

to explain all of the hundreds of changes in

California law that this initiative would

mandate, I will try to convey what is at

stake here.

First of all, this is a massive incarceration

measure. Hundreds - even thousands - of

young people will be tried and sentenced as

adults, swelling the state's prison population.

Second, this is a bold-faced power

grab by prosecutors. They are blatantly

attempting to usurp the power and dis-

cretion of judges, greatly increasing

their role and authority. If it passes, we

will effectively be turning loose several

thousand Kenneth Starrs on the state's

children.

Third, the passage of this measure

would result in the de facto destruction of

the juvenile justice system as we know it.

Many of the basic protections for young peo-

ple -that they won't be tried in adult courts,

Governor Vetoes "DWB'"' Bill

Continued from page |

in 1999 - that it sets a `bad precedent'

for the state to require local agencies to

even study a crucial and widespread civil

rights problem."

SB 78 was the only bill on the Governor's

desk this year aimed at addressing police-

community relations problems. Crew asked,

"Tf the Governor would veto this modest bill

in these circumstances where there is

broad, national, bipartisan consensus, is

there any police reform bill he would ever

sign over the objection of his police sup-

porters? This is a fair question for all

Californians to ask - and especially

Californians of color who have long borne

the brunt of police misconduct - in the

wake of the Governor's veto. This is a ques-

tion that Latino and Black voters will

remember at election time."

Governor Davis and his predecessor

Pete Wilson are the only state governors to

veto state legislation aimed at document-

ing the scope of racial profiling. (Wilson

vetoed a similar bill last year.) The

Republican governor of Connecticut and

the Democratic governor of North Carolina

recently signed similar bills. Bills are

pending in several other states.

The ACLU-NC is continuing its

statewide hotline 1-877-DWB- STOP. (The

Spanish language hotline is 1-877-PARA-

LOS, 1-877-727-2567). Since the hotline's

initiation in October 1998, more than 2000

persons have called to report their stories

of race-based police traffic stops. "Now

more than ever," Crew emphasized, "it is

crucial that people of color call 1-877-

DWB-STOP to report suspected incidents

of racial profiling. We will send a strong

message to the Governor and all public

officials that they will not be allowed to

duck this issue."

Ric RocAMoRA

Ray Marshall, Chair of the State Bar

Association, spoke out against law

enforcement's use of race profiling.

Marshall had been stopped and ques-

tioned in his own driveway by the

Oakland police.

By vetoing the bill, Governor Davis

ignored the stated wishes of the President

and U.S. Attorney General that compre-

hensive traffic stop data be collected

nationwide. He also positioned himself on

the opposite side of the issue from both

major Democratic presidential candidates,

Vice President Al Gore (whom Davis has

endorsed) and former Senator Bill Bradley

- both of whom have issued strong public

statements condemning racial profiling.

The bill was supported by the

American Bar Association, the California

Attorney General, U.S. Commission on

Civil Rights, NAACP, and over fifty leading

civil rights organizations in the state.

Minority law enforcement organizations

including the National Black Police

Association, National Latino Peace

Officers Association, and the National

Organization of Black Law Enforcement

Executives also supported the bill.

that they will get a clean record and a fresh

start when they turn 18 - will be gone.

We also need to understand that this

measure is being proposed in a particular

political and social context. With tough

new law after tough new law, shocking

judicial decision after shocking judicial

decision, brand new jail after brand new

jail, the dominoes are falling. This initia-

tive takes us one more stride down the

road toward living in a complete "surveil-

lance security state."

Lest you think I am over-stating my

case, consider the following. If a law were

on the ballot and all it did was let 14 year

olds be tried and sentenced as adults, we

would all be out in the streets screaming.

Or if a law were on the ballot and all it

did was eliminate privacy and confiden-

tiality for young offenders, using mistakes

they made in their early teens to brand

them as criminals for life, we would all be

out in the streets screaming.

Or if a law were on the ballot and all it

did was let the police wiretap the homes

and families of young people whom the

police brand as "gang members," we would

all be out in the streets screaming. Or if a

law were on the ballot and all it did was

reduce felony vandalism from $50,000 to

$400 - so that a youth who spray paints a

glass door or writes his name in wet con-

crete could be convicted of a felony - we

would all be out in the streets screaming.

Or if another law were on the ballot

and all it did was require that we spend

hundreds of millions of dollars locking up

youth, but not a dime working to prevent

youth from committing crimes, we would

all be out in the streets screaming.

This one initiative does all of those

things - and more. That's why we have to

stop it.

In 1995, the Rand Corporation pro-

duced a study, with telling conclusions. It

said, yes, the state could use tough, "Three

Strikes And Youre Out" measures to pre-

No matter what it looks like on television,

all of these jails and prisons aren't being

built to house only Black people. African-

Americans make up only a tiny six percent

of this state's population. We live in a

state where the crime rate is rapidly

falling, but the government is still building

new prisons - literally around-the-clock.

We have to wonder: who is going to fill

these new prison cells?

In the 1800s, the central moral and

political struggle was ending the enslave-

ment of millions of African peoples on

these shores. In the 1900s, the central

moral struggle was the fight to end lynch-

ing and Jim Crow segregation. In the new

century, the defining struggle will be the

fight against the ever-encroaching "prison

industrial complex."

The logic that would have us continue

to trade away basic freedoms and human

rights for a false sense of "public safety"

must be opposed by a renewed commit-

ment to solving our social problems ratio-

nally and in a humane manner. That is the

defining struggle of our time.

And even now, I see reasons for hope.

Back in 1994, conservatives rammed

through anti-immigrant Proposition 187 -

and succeeded in turning many Latinos

and Asians irrevocably against them. Five

years on, the immigrant community is

growing and naturalizing at an unprece-

dented rate - and the majority of that

community clearly recognizes the agenda

of the right wing as dangerous and morally

repugnant. The Latino community espe-

cially is producing new leaders daily in the

struggle against racism and social injus-

tice. The right-wing won the battle on

election day, but it will have to pay a

tremendous cost for years and years to

come.

The same outcome is possible on this

fight. Conservative forces are now crimi-

nalizing a whole generation. Wherever |

go, when young people hear about it, they

If this measure passes, hundreds - even

thousands - of young people will be

tried and sentenced as adults, swelling

the state's prison population.

vent crimes. But that the state could pre-

vent twice as many crimes by spending the

same amount of money on parenting

classes. Or the state could prevent four

times as many crimes, simply by using the

money to give high school students mone-

tary incentives to graduate.

Why aren't we pursuing these kinds of

solutions?

[ think that there is a real danger here

-a danger for every person in this state.

get outraged. They want to get involved,

speak out, fight back - even though many

are too young to vote. This is our opportu-

nity to expose a whole new generation of

Californians to the dangers of this grow-

ing, runaway trend toward a police state. If

we work together with the young people

whose futures are imperiled, then - win or

lose on election day - the new generation

will be in a position to carry on the fight

until justice is finally done.

ACLU News = NovemBer-DecemBeR 1999 = Pace 2

1999 ACLU-NC Activist Conference

"There are more prison guards in California today than there

were prisoners when Jerry Brown was governor."

"The Knight so-called "Definition of Marriage" Initiative would

be a blow to equality and equal protection."

"Racial bias ts pushing the expansion of the prison industry. "

he wooded foothills of West Marin -

[Tne accustomed to the conversa-

tion of quail and the howls of coyotes

- were filled with weighty debates on the

weekend of September 17-19, as ACLU-NC

activists gathered for the 1999 Annual

Conference at the Walker Creek Ranch.

The three plenaries of the conference

focused on the key political issues in the

Rint Chakraborty of the Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee

Rights (1.), Jayashri Srikantiah, staff attorney with the

National ACLU Immigrant Rights Project, and Santa Cruz

Chapter leader Ramon Gomez at the panel on "Fix 96:

Fighting for Immigrant Rights."

state: the Juvenile Justice Initiative and

the Knight Initiative, both of which will be

appear on the March 2000 ballot, and the

campaign to halt law enforcement's prac-

tice of "Driving While Black or Brown."

In addition, a wealth of workshops

allowed activists and experts to exchange

ideas on issues ranging from disability

rights and immigration law to the death

penalty and school vouchers.

The opening plenary, "Fear of Youth:

Pete Wilson's Juvenile Justice Initiative,"

featured William Walker, a fellow with the

ACLU-NC Howard A. Friedman Project,

and Van Jones, Director of Police Watch.

Both are involved in the statewide cam-

paign to defeat the initiative, which is slat-

ed for the March 2000 ballot.

Walker, a student at San Francisco City

College, said that he has been involved in

fighting the criminalization of youth since

Union Matp

Lenny Karpman and Joan Hall of e

Marin Chapter prepared a sumptuous

Jeast for the Welcome Reception.

he was fifteen, starting with a fight against

the youth curfew at the San Francisco

Board of Supervisors. "The Juvenile

Justice Initiative will allow a 14-year old to

be judged as an adult for felonies," Walker

warned. "We are looking at the future of

the next generation: if we want them to be

active in the struggle for their rights, it's

important that we look at the root causes."

"This is a massive incarceration bill

targeting young people," charged Jones.

"It's a power grab for prosecutors - it will

be like unleashing several thousand

Kenneth Starrs on our young people. This

measure virtually destroys the juvenile

| justice system. And it is occurring within

the broader context of `no rules for the

rich, no rights for the poor."

The panel on the Knight Initiative,

also slated for the March 2000 ballot, fea-

tured Jeff Mittman,

Chair of the ACLU-NC

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

and Transgender Rights

(LGBT) Chapter,

ACLU-NC staff attor-

ney Bob Kim and Mitzi

Henderson, of PFLAG

(Parents and Friends

2 of Lesbians and Gays).

= "Tf we lose a ballot

e initiative in California,

other states will follow

with similar bills," said

Kim. "The ACLU will be

very active in the cam-

paign to defeat the ini-

'M

ACLU-NC Board member Aundre Herron (1.) and Death

Penalty Focus Executive Director Lance Lindsay are inter-

viewed by KPFA radio about efforts to end capital punishment.

tiative because we are very much against

the State intervening in basic human

rights. Marriage is a personal choice, it's a

decision between two people that should

be respected. Marriage is a fundamental

right."

Kim charged that the initiative "would

be a blow to equality and equal protection,"

and drew the parallel to interracial mar-

riage, which was not sanctified by the

Supreme Court until the 1960's.

A highlight of the Activists Conference

was a presentation by students from the

Howard A. Friedman First Amendment

Project who shared their experiences from

a summer journey "Homelessness: Unplug-

ged." Before speaking about the shelters

and service centers they

visited for homeless

youth in the Bay Area

and Los Angeles, stu-

dents Cindy Downing

and William Walker put

the audience through a

moving exercise: audi-

ence members were

asked to list "five things

that signify home to

you." People read off

their lists: music, pets,

Students (left to right) Sirena Putnam, William Walker, Rachel Aoanan, Chris

UNION MAID

Uyeda, Cindy Downing, Shaffy Moeel, and Saba Moeel spoke about their summer

journey with the Howard A. Friedman First Amendment Project exploring youth

homelessness.

one of those things, then another, and

another. As the lists got shorter, audience

members gasped, and gulped and whis-

pered "Oh no, I can't be without that."

"This is what we learned,' said

Downing gently, "this is how it feels to be

without a home."

The Saturday evening plenary, "Race and

Criminal Justice: Disparate Sentencing and

the War on Drugs," featured Michelle

Alexander, Director of the ACLU-NC

~ Racial Justice Project and investigative

| journalist Gary Webb, author of Dark

| Alliance: The CIA, the Contras and the

Crack Cocaine Explosion.

"Today we are witnessing the disap-

pearance of our black

children," said

Alexander, after read-

ing a parable from a

book by Derrick Bell

about a group of miss-

ing black school stu-

dents. "But we know

where they are going.

They are going into the

Union MaAtp

nation's prisons. In

1980, there were

330,000 prisoners,

today there are 1.7

million people be-

hind bars. While

African Americans

only make up 7% of

the State's popula-

tion, they are over 50% of the prison popu-

lation. Today, three in five African

Americans in California are in the criminal

legal system.

"More than half of the prisons today

were constructed in the last twenty years.

The War on Drugs is the vehicle by which

people of color are being imprisoned.

Union Malp

loved ones, gardens. itei Henderson of PFLAG and ACLU-NC staff attorney Bob

Then the students asked Kim lawnch an attack on the Knight "Defense of Marriage"

us to imagine the loss of Initiative.

Racial bias is pushing the expansion of the

prison industry," Alexander charged.

Webb, who is currently a consultant to

the California Legislature's Task Force on

Government Oversight, spoke about

Operation Pipeline, the federal DEA pro-

gram that has trained thousands of state

police officers how to identify "potential

drug runners." Webb, who authored an

Esquire magazine article on the racial pro-

filing that results from the DEA guidelines,

said that "DWB has become a national

issue because the media has become sensi-

tized to the issue and because of cam-

| paigns like the ACLU's."

The Conference was organized by Field

Representative Lisa Maldonado and the

Conference Planning Committee: Michelle

Welsh, Chair of the Field Committee and

Monterey Chapter; Ramon Gomez, Santa

Cruz Chapter; Ken Russell, Mid-Peninsula

Chapter; Joan Hall, Lenny Karpman,

| Marna Cohen, and Gerry Ellersdorfer of

the Marin Chapter; and Chloe Watts of the

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Rights

Chapter. The Conference Crew was head-

=

: 2

oe: ee)

Author and journalist Gary Webb and ACLU-NC Racial

Justice Project Director Michelle Alexander address race and

criminal justice issues.

ed by Program Assistant Melissa

Schwartz and included David Harris,

Bryan Freeman, Tom Faulds, Molly

Hudgens, Mister Phillips, Judie Ellman,

Regina Meade, Winona Reyes, Nancy

Magidson, Stan Yogi, Jocelyn Wickers and

Richard Rafael.

Maldonado offered special thanks to

Marin Chapter leaders Lenny Karpman

and Joan Hall for hosting the Welcome

Reception, an effort that included creat-

ing outstanding hors d'oeuvres of stuffed

grape leaves, roasted walnut pate, and

figs with rose petal glace. Conference

attendees were also treated to an uproari-

ous evening of comedy from Aundre the

Wonderwoman (also known as ACLU-NC

Board member Aundre Herron) and fel-

low stand-ups Rich Santiago and Charles

Anthony Johnson. Night owls enjoyed

music from the ACLU-NC in-house cham-

ber music duet, the Roving Rebel Band, as

well as from the native night owls of the

Walker Creek Ranch.

ACLU News = NovemBer-DecemBer 1999 = Pace 3

Li-

Board of Directors

ES

fe FICO S|

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?

The by-laws of the ACLU of Northern California call for the at-large Directors of the

Board to be elected by the general membership. The general membership are those

members in good standing who have joined or renewed their membership within the

last twelve months.

The label affixed to this issue of the ACLU News indicates on the top line the year and

month when your membership expires.

Ifyou are not eligible to vote, you may choose to renew your membership, and thereby

resume your membership in good standing, at the same time you submit your ballot.

If you share a joint membership, each individual is entitled to vote separately - two

spaces are provided on the ballot.

How ARE CANDIDATES NOMINATED TO RUN FOR

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS?

The ACLU-NC by-laws permit two methods of nomination. Candidates may be nominat-

ed by the current Board of Directors after consideration of the Nominating Committee's

recommendations. Candidates also may be nominated by petition bearing the signa-

tures of at least fifteen ACLU-NC members in good standing.

VOTING INFORMATION

BALLOT INSTRUCTIONS

Candidates are listed on these pages in alphabetical order. After marking your ballot,

clip it and enclose the ballot and your address label from this issue of the ACLU News in

an envelope. Your address label must be included to ensure voter eligibility. Address the

envelope to:

Board Elections, ACLU of Northern California

1663 Mission Street, Suite 460, San Francisco, CA 94103

If you have a joint membership, you may use both of the columns provided, and each of

the members may vote separately.

If you wish to ensure the confidentiality of your ballot, insert your ballot in a double

envelope with the special mailing label in the outer one. The envelopes will be separat-

ed before the counting of the ballots.

Ballots must be returned to the ACLU by noon on December 10, 1999.

There are ten candidates running to fill ten vacancies on the Board of Directors. You

may vote for up to ten candidates.

For your consideration, we are publishing brief statements submitted by the candidates

for election to the Board of Directors. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Candidate

Statements

Luz Buitrago

am honored to be nominated once again to

be on the ACLU-NC Board of Directors. |

have previously served the ACLU in many dif-

ferent capacities: Chair of the Legislative and

Litigation Committees and as a member of the

Executive Committee. | have recently been

appointed to serve as National Board

Representative.

I am the Executive Director of the Center

on Poverty Law and Economic Opportunity, a

non-profit that works on welfare-related

issues. I am also actively involved in other

civil rights causes. I am deeply committed to

the ACLU's mission of preserving civil liber-

ties and look forward to my continued involve-

ment with the ACLU.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: YES

Scott Burrell

am pleased to accept the nomination for a position with the ACLU Board of

Directors. | am currently serving as a Deputy Public Defender with the City and

County of San Francisco, and as you might imagine, issues of criminal justice are of

particular interest to me. However, I am also deeply interested in issues of civil

rights for people of color and for gay men and women.

I have admired the ACLU's work on behalf of freedom and civil liberty since I was

in high School and I would be honored to be part of the team.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: YES

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| to have been a member and active participant

_ for the past 20 years, is, in my view, the single

_ most effective and broad force in our country

| engaged in this unending struggle.

| ACLU-NC and have been chair of the National

"all callings. The ACLU, of which I am so proud

Milton Estes

t is my fervent belief that work in the service

of human dignity and justice is the greatest of

I was the first openly gay Chairperson the

Board's lesbian/gay caucus since I was first elect-

ed to that Board three years ago. I am one of ten

National Vice-Presidents, and am also privileged

to be part of the National Fundraising Faculty

and to travel around the country assisting many

affiliates in their development work.

As a physician, I split my professional time

between a private HIV practice and work in the San Francisco jail.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: No

David W. Fermino

tis a pleasure to accept nomination for election to the ACLU-NC Board of Directors. Since

the summer of 1986, when I clerked for the New York office of the ACLU, I have been fasci-

nated with the work of the organization. I've never forgotten the work that I did that summer

and the people with whom I had the opportunity to work. Since 1996 I have been an Assistant

Federal Public Defender, first in Los Angeles as Chief of the Capital Habeas Unit and now in

San Francisco focusing on the defense of federal criminal laws matters.

As a criminal defense lawyer, I have come to respect and admire the work of the ACLU

and I am honored to be part of its future. :

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

| INCUMBENT: YES

re ae Oe ee a

Aundre Herron

t is with deep pride that I seek your vote for a

second term. The work of the ACLU is exceed-

ingly important. As we approach the new millen-

nium, we must redouble our efforts to protect civil

liberties and the concomitant civil rights that flow

from them. The old race and class tensions are re-

emerging with new force. We are advancing tech-

nologically, but our social policy is frighteningly

retrograde. We have zero tolerance for those who

are different or who are unable or unwilling to

conform. There is a fine line between freedom

and anarchy and it is the solemn duty of civil lib-

ertarians to assiduously guard that line.

I welcome the chance to enter the fray!

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: YES

Dennis McNally

eing a volunteer for the ACLU over the past

four years has been among the more satisfying

parts of my life. I've served on the Development

Committee, and more recently on the Executive

Committee, and I can only hope that I've given as

well as I've gotten. I once said in jest that "they put

you on the Development Committee when you

aren't a lawyer and don't know anything...", but the

truth is that what we - and all the ACLU - are

learning that Development is actually a fundamen-

tal part of the community organization process.

Instead of feeling like I'm bugging people for dol-

lars, I've developed a pride in how we all can make

a contribution, either in time, money, or both.

In my "real life" I am the publicist for Grateful

Dead Productions, working on a book about the band, and part of the ACLU's jazzhound

subgroup. | am married, with an adult daughter. Thank you for your vote.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: YES

David

Oppenheimer

am honored to be nominated for re-election to

the ACLU-NC Board of Directors. I am a law

professor at Golden Gate University, where |

teach and write about discrimination law, civil

litigation, and civil rights history. 1 also do some

litigation of employment discrimination, disabil-

ity rights, and police brutality cases.

I served on the ACLU-NC Board from 1989-95

and was re-elected in 1997. I currently serve on

the Executive Committee and the Legal

the Bay Area Lawyers' Committee for Civil

Rights, Equal Rights Advocates, and the Society

of American Law Teachers. I write, speak and

debate frequently on behalf of the ACLU on the subject of affirmative action.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: YES

_ political activity as a union leader and as a

- member of a county Commission on the Status

| of Women and through my work in financial

_ services, | am well-suited to be a candidate for

| past decade - including this year - because I

_ know fund raising can make a difference; we

' can secure opportunity in education and

Millicent

Rutherford

have been a member of the ACLU for more

than 40 years and a member of the ACLU

DeSilver Society for much of that time. I have

served on the Development Committee for the

employment for all. Through my academic

training, my experience as an educator, my

| the Board of Directors. My support for the ACLU

_ is vigorous and enduring.

_ School of Information Management and Systems as

_ Future Coalition which raised public policy ques-

_ tions about digital intellectual property proposals

| made in Congress and in some state legislatures.

Committee. | am also a member of the Boards of _

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: YES

AOU Sage

he ACLU is vital to the political health of this

country, and I would be honored to assist in its

endeavors as a member of the Board of Directors.

In my previous service as an at-large member on

the Board from 1992-1998, | worked with the

Development Committee and will gladly do so

again. I was active with the Lesbian and Gay

Rights Chapter from its inception, serving as

chair and as representative to the Board.

I am an attorney in private practice in Oakland,

with an emphasis on representing tenants.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

INCUMBENT: No

Pamela

Samuelson

3 a Professor at the University of California

at Berekeley with a joint appointment in the

well as in the School of Law where | am Co-direc-

tor of the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology.

I have written and spoken extensively about the

challenges that new information technologies

pose for traditional legal regimes, especially for

intellectual property law.

I was an organizer of and activist in the Digital

For my work in promoting public interest in high

technology law, I was named a Fellow of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur

Foundation. I am also a public policy Fellow of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a

Fellow of the Association of Computing Machinery. As a member of the ACLU-NC Board, I

hope to be especially active on civil liberties issues arising in cyberspace.

NOMINATED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

| INCUMBENT: YES

Please vote in the squares provided. You may vote for up to ten candidates. Joint members use both squares.

O O LUZ BUITRAGO

O O SCOTT BURRELL

ey @ MIETON ESIES

O O DAVID FERMINO

UO O AUNDRE HERRON

Q OQ DENNIS McNALLY

Q OQ DAVID OPPENHEIMER

Q Q MILLICENT RUTHERFORD

O O ZONA SAGE

GO PAMELA SAMUELSON

Cnt ial Sai

Please clip and send to ACLU-NC Board Elections, 1663 Mission Street, #460, San Francisco, CA 941038.

I

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I

I

I

I

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Loe eee eee eee ee eee eee eee eee eee ee eee eee eee eee

ACLU News =@ Novemsber-DecemBer 1999 = Pace 5

GOVERNOR SIGNS MAjOR GAY RIGHTS BILLS

Paler Shades of Gray

VETOES CRUCIAL CIVIL RIGHTS,

FREE PREss MEASURES

By VALERIE SMALL NAVARRO

ACLU LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE

the proverbial middle of road? It |

| s Governor Gray Davis governing from

depends on whose road we're traveling.

The road traveled by the Governor seems to

have been paved in campaign contributions.

According to R.E. Graswich, a

Sacramento Bee columnist, Brandy Capik,

the daughter of the head of the prison

guards union, Don Novey, was leaving her -

job as assistant manager at the Rocklin Wal-

Mart to take a job in the Governor's office

assisting with constituent problems. When |

asked whether there might have been a

"political payoff," Michael Bustamante, the

Governor's spokesman, reportedly replied

that he "can't imagine why anyone would

think that."

OTHER "UNIMAGINABLES"'

Republican support but was still vehement-

ly opposed by law enforcement unions. |

Similarly, there was strong Republican sup- |

port for AB 1440 (Migden, D-S.F.),the |

"Media Access to Prisons" measure, but it |

recover attorneys' fees.

too was vetoed.

BILLS SIGNED PROTECTING

AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Before speaking to approximately 1,000

attendees at the Gay and Lesbian

Presidential Dinner in Beverly Hills on

October 2, the Governor announced his sig- |

nature on measures to protect Californians |

from discrimination based on sexual orien-

tation. "These three bills will send a mes-

sage across the country and around the

world that we are determined to unleash

the full potential of the human spirit here |

in California," said the Governor in remarks

prepared for delivery at the dinner.

Every year since her election in 1994,

Assemblymember Shiela Kuehl (D-Encino)

has brought a bill that would prohibit |

harassment and discrimination on the basis

of sexual orientation in programs, opportu-

| nities, and activities offered by schools.

| This year she successfully passed and the -

| Governor signed AB 587, a major victory.

As reported elsewhere in the ACLU News, |

the Governor vetoed crucial bills on both |

civil rights and the First Amendment. Davis |

vetoed SB 78 (Murray, D-L.A.) the "Driving |

while Black or Brown" bill, a measure so |

moderate that it garnered substantial |

Davis signed AB 1001 (Villaraigosa, D- |

L.A.) that moves the provision prohibiting

employment discrimination on the basis of

sexual orientation from the Labor Code to

the Civil Code (FEHA) - capping a 20-year |

struggle. The protections currently afforded -

by the Labor Code are less extensive than

those afforded by the Fair Employment and .

Housing Act. For example, there is a 30-day

time limit for filing instead of the one year -

under FEHA and prevailing parties may not -

Governor Vetoes Bill

for Media Access to

Prisoners

n September 7, Governor Gray

O Davis defied the overwhelming

majority of legislators and the

state's news media and vetoed AB 1440,

the bill to restore the right of journalists

to interview specified state prisoners

face to face.

The bill was approved by the state

Legislature by votes of 69-7 in the Assembly

and 28-7 in the Senate. In editorials, the

state's major newspapers had virtually

without exception urged the governor to

sign the measure.

In his message vetoing the measure

by Assembly member Carole Migden and

a bipartisan group of co-sponsors, the

governor said the bill would give journal-

ists "virtually unlimited access" to con-

victed felons.

"Moreover," the governor's message

said, "this bill is inconsistent with the

national trend to reduce, not expand,

rights of prisoners."

"This bill is about journalists' ability to

cover the prisons effectively - especially

at a time when prisons are one of the

largest and fastest-growing expenditures in

the state's budget," said ACLU Legislative

Director Francisco Lobaco.

Peter Sussman of the Society of

Professional Journalists noted that cur-

rently reporters are not allowed use of cam-

eras, tape recorders and sometimes even

pencil and paper - effectively cutting off

television coverage and severely hamper-

ing coverage in all other media.

A bill restricting interviews had been

_ vetoed previously by Governor Pete Wilson,

whose administration had initiated the

interview restrictions as well as an end to

the confidentiality of prisoners' mail to the |

news media. Neither governor nor the

California Department of Corrections had |

ever cited any abuse of interviews that led

to the restrictions. The state had allowed

face-to-face interviews with specified pris-

oners for more than 20 years before the

practice was ended unilaterally in the fall

of 1995 - first informally and later by a

change in regulations.

"By overturning this bill," said Tim

Graham of the Society for Professional

Journalists, "the governor is pandering to

a Department of Corrections that routine-

ly stands in the way of reporters seeking

access to inmates and prisons. Just

weeks ago, the department was sued by a

national garment workers union and two

inmates who were punished for suspicion

of telling the press about major apparent

abuses in a prison factory. The governor

has now defied the Legislature and tacitly

accepted the department's self-defensive

culture of secrecy."

Finally, AB 26

(Migden) creates a

statewide domes- and

tic partnership reg- and

istry for gay and

lesbian couples and

guarantees hospital

visitation rights. In

addition, the measure allows partners of gay

state employees to receive health benefits.

BILLS PENDING AS OF PRESS TIME

The "California Civil Rights Amendments

of 1999," AB 1670 (Kuehl), an omnibus leg-

islative proposal intended to strengthen

the civil rights protections afforded by the

Fair Employment and Housing Act

(FEHA), and other their civil rights

statutes waits for the Governor's approval.

The religious right added this measure to

its "hit list" as a "homosexual" bill.

_ Another key measure, AB 103

(Migden) implementing for the first time a

system of HIV reporting in California based

on the use of a unique identifier (instead of

using an individual's name) to track the

trends of the epidemic still sits on the

Governor's desk. People who fear that

their names will be added to a government

HIV list will be reluctant to be tested and

may be reluctant to participate in partner

notification because they fear their name

may be revealed.

"Unleash[ing] the full potential of the

human spirit" seems to depend on the |.

wealth of humans. and

COSCO HSHOHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHHHSHSHSHHSHSHHHHSHHHHHHHHSHHHHHSHHHHEHEHHHHHHHHHHHSES

Dear Fellow. Cito

(and you uncivil ones as well),

I don't know about y'all, but I'm not"planning to croak any time soon. I'ma

spring chicken of 58 myself, and hope to do my bit to bankrupt Social Security for

future generations. ;

But, as Charlie de Gaulle, that fun guy, once observed, "Rest assured, we shall die

someday." And the way things are going lately, it will probably be before we overcome. In

which case, those of us who are able to leave a little wherewithal to future freedom-fight-

ers need to start thinking where to put the gelt so it will do the most good. I've done this

by becoming a member of the ACLU Foundation's DeStlver Society.

In my life as a freedom-fighter I have endeavored to have a little fun while holding

the Bill of Rights together, with some success (she added modestly). The time we

mooned the Klan was actually quite entertaining. Now as we all know, civil libertarians,

as a group, are not the friskiest crowd around-comes from forever being on the qu? vive

for the sound of jack-booted fascism coming down the pike. On the whole, we tend to be

a sober lot, and we have a lot to be sober about. Personally, I think there might be more

joie de vivre in our ranks if we weren't always out-manned, always out-gunned.

To this end, I have decided to leave a big chunk of my swag-and I've worked fairly

hard for it-to the ACLU Foundation through my will, on the theory that this will not

only help ensure the perpetuation of freedom in this nation, but might also make

future civil libertarians into a famously fun bunch. And even if that doesn't happen, at

least the Bill of Rights won't be nibbled to death by the gotch-eyed, blue-bellied, full-

blooded nincompoops who constantly beset it.

I suppose we could leave our jack to universities or hospitals that will name build-

ings, or at least wings of buildings after us, and do some good at the same time. I sup-

pose, if we have enough dough, we can buy our little chunk of immortality by getting

our name chipped into granite or marble someplace outside a graveyard. Parks are

nice. Schools are good. The relatives can always use more bread, or helping conquer a

disease would be a boon to mankind.

As for me, I'm going to leave my money to freedom. And every time someone on

down the line is irreverent about authority, I'll have my monument. Every time some

kid who was born a nigger, a kike, a wop, a Polack, a gook, a gimp, a fag or just plain

maverick lifts up her head and dares anyone to stop her, I'll have my monument. Every

time they peaceably assemble to petition their government for a redress of a grievance,

I'll be there. Whenever they worship as they please, or not at all, whenever they speak

up and speak out and raise hell, I'll be there. And every time the press, which will prob-

ably be on the Internet by then, takes on some pinhead in the Congress or the county

commission or the biggest employer in town and kicks his ass from hell to breakfast,

you know I'll be there. Now that's immortality.

I don't have any children, so I've decided to claim all the future freedom-fighters

and hell-raisers as my kin. And I hope you'll join me by making sure the ACLU is still

around to defend their right to be a pain in the ass to whatever powers come to be. |

figure freedom and justice beat having your name in marble any day. Besides, if there

is another life after this one, think how much we'll get to laugh watching it all.

Yours for beaucoup de bucks for the toughest freedom-fighters around,

7 20ty WS ise

Molly Ivins

0g you would like to become a member of The DeSilver Society,

please contact Stan Yogi, Director of Planned Giving at the

ACLU-NC Foundation, 415/621-2493, extension 330.

ACLU News = NovemsBer-DEcEMBER 1999 = Pace 6

Fired Fresno Workers File Federal Suit for

n October 1, two dozen Latina and

Os workers filed a federal class

action lawsuit against the owners of a

Fresno manufacturing plant that fired them

because they had failed a company-created

test of their written English skills. The 25

plaintiffs in the case, all former production

workers, speak Spanish, Hmong, Lao, or

Cambodian as their primary languages. They

charge that NIBCO, Inc., the Indiana-based

former owner of the plant, discriminatorily

fired them even though they had all per-

formed their jobs successfully for years, and

despite the fact that the type of English lan-

guage proficiency tested by the company's

examination had no relation whatsoever to

their ability to do their work.

The lawsuit, Rivera, et al., v. NIBCO, Inc.

and R.M. Wade and Co., was filed in U.S.

District Court in Fresno by Language Rights

Project attorneys from the ACLU-NC and the

Employment Law Center. The suit asks the

court to find that the testing requirement is

illegal and to restore all of the plaintiffs to

their former jobs, issue an injunction to pre-

vent future testing, and award monetary

damages, including back pay and compen-

satory and punitive damages. The plant

manufactures irrigation systems.

"NIBCO fired our clients even though

they were more than qualified to do their

jobs. In fact, some of these workers had

been commended for their work perfor-

mance, and in some cases, had been |

employed by the company for as long as _ |

nineteen years," said attorney Donya |

Fernandez of the Employment Law |

Center. "The truth is that NIBCO's new |

management simply did not want limited-

English speaking immigrants on their |

payroll."

"There's absolutely no reason why it |

should suddenly become necessary for us

to know English to keep our jobs," said

plaintiff Martha Rivera. "I worked at the

plant for nine years and did my job well

without being proficient in English. I can't

believe NIBCO really thought that there |

was any justified business reason for this

policy. It makes no sense at all."

LAW PROTECTS WORKERS

"The law protects people with limited

English proficiency in the same way it pro-

tects other minority groups," said ACLU-NC

staff attorney Ed Chen. "Whether you are

black or brown or speak another language,

employers cannot legally single you out on

that basis and fire you with no business jus-

tification."

Under the factory's previous ownership

there was no English requirement because

the work-which includes making compo-

nents for irrigation systems by manually

assembling parts and operating production

machines requires little communication in

any language, let alone English.

"Employers break the laws of this coun-

try when they fire workers just because

they happen not to have an absolute com-

mand of the English language," said

Christopher Ho of the Employment Law

Center. "Unless the type and degree of

English proficiency demanded is exactly

tailored to what the job actually requires,

discrimination of this kind is just as unlaw-

ful as any other violation of an individual's

civil rights."

The complaint alleges that by institut-

ing the testing requirement and carrying

out the terminations, NIBCO violated the

anti-discrimination protections of Title VII

of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and

the California Fair Employment and

Housing Act. Because the plaintiffs and

class members were singled out for firing

because of their supposed lack of English

proficiency, the testing requirement dis-

criminated against them because of their

national origin and ethnicity. The com-

plaint also names R.M. Wade and Co., a

Portland, Oregon-based firm, which pur-

chased the plant from NIBCO in August.

In March, administrative charges were

brought before the U.S. Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which

issued right-to-sue notices, permitting

plaintiffs to file suit. Prior to filing suit,

plaintiffs' attorneys proposed a settlement

with NIBCO and Wade in order to avoid liti-

gation; however, NIBCO hastily rejected

this offer, and Wade did not respond.

"T FELT HUMILIATED."

"I felt humiliated and discriminated

against when I was let go after eighteen

years," said former NIBCO employee Alicia

Alvarez. "It has been difficult for me to sup-

port my children."

The purpose of the tests was to identify

limited English employees who would later

be fired. In implementing the testing

regime, NIBCO segregated those employ-

ees who could not pass the exams into an

inferior, specially-created job category.

They were told they could not get raises

and would be subject "lay offs," regardless

of their seniority or job performance. Many

of the demoted employees were reassigned

to more onerous job duties, some requiring

heavy physical exertion. Ultimately, those

in the segregated job category were sys-

tematically fired between late July and late

September of 1998.

"The law protects people with limited

English proficiency in the same way it pro-

tects other minority groups," said attorney Ed

Language Discrimination

Chen of ACLU-NC. "Whether you are black or

brown or speak another language, employers

cannot legally single you out on that basis and

fire you with no business justification.

The Language Rights Project works to

combat language-based discrimination in

the workplace and other sectors of society,

and to ensure equal access to government

services. The Language Rights

Information Line (1-800-864-1664) offers

free legal advice, representation, and

referrals in English, Spanish, Mandarin,

and Cantonese to individuals who believe

they have been subjected to discrimination

based on their language or accent. The

Language Rights Project is a joint project

of the Employment Law Center and the

ACLU-NC. William J. Smith of the Fresno

firm of Richtel and Smith is also represent-

ing the terminated employees.

Settlement in Hmong Family Suit

Brings New Policies for Yuba Sheriff

n October 4, a consent decree was |

filed in U.S. District Court in |

Sacramento in Her v. Yuba

County resulting in a package of new

policies and procedures for the Yuba

County Sheriff's Department. The con-

sent decree, the related settlement

agreement and policy changes were nego-

tiated by the ACLU and private attorneys

on behalf of the family of Vang Her. Ina (c)

federal lawsuit filed in August 1997, the

Her family alleged a series of acts of

police misconduct by deputies in August

and September 1996.

"These packages of reforms should

help prevent police misconduct from

occurring in the future and also help in the

effort to ensure a strong working relation-

ship between the Hmong community and

the Sheriffs Department," said ACLU attor-

ney John Crew. "All law enforcement agen-

cies need to have strong policies

protecting the Fourth Amendment rights

of residents, procedures for identifying

and investigating Hate Crimes, and poli-

cies that clearly protect parental rights."

The settlement package includes:

e Anew department Search and Seizure

General Order aimed at guarding

against abuses of Fourth Amendment

rights in private homes;

e A new Hate Crimes General Order to

ensure that criminal acts of ethnic and

racial hatred will be properly identi-

fied and thoroughly investigated;

e Anew Temporary Custody of Juveniles

General Order spelling out how chil-

dren should be treated by deputies and

ensuring the protection of parental

rights if students are questioned by

deputies while in school;

e A strengthened Personnel Complaint

Procedure General Order to improve

the department's handling of allega-

tions of misconduct;

e The translation into Hmong, Spanish

and Punjabi languages of key forms

and materials on the complaints

process and the right to refuse consent

to searches of private homes;

e An agreement on the part of the cur-

rent Sheriff to continue her problem-

solving meetings with leaders of the

local Hmong community and to, if nec-

essary, agree to later assistance from

the U.S. Justice Department's

Community Relations Service to facili-

tate further discussions.

ACLU News = NovemBer-DecemBeR 1999 = Pace 7

"We are hopeful that this case and the

consent decree we were able to craft with

Yuba County will both help improve the

professionalism of the Sheriff's Depart-

ment and address some of the concerns in

the Hmong community," said attorney

Mark Merin. "By agreeing to a number of

new or strengthened policies and by readi-

ly agreeing to formalize a process of dis-

cussion and mutual problem solving with

the Hmong community, we are hopeful

that the current Sheriff is moving in the

right direction."

The Her family had charged in the fed-

eral lawsuit that Yuba County Sheriff's

deputies had repeatedly violated their

rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth

Amendments while responding to a neigh-

bor's claim that the Her's three-year-old

toddler allegedly fired a b.b. gun. From

August to September 1996, the lawsuit

alleged that the deputies subjected the

family to unlawful searches, at one point

detaining the family - including seven

small children - at the sheriff's station. In

addition, the lawsuit alleged that deputies

interrogated the Her's ten-year-old daugh-

ter in a Sheriff's Department vehicle with-

out her parents' consent. The suit also

charged that the Her children were seized

from their elementary school classes with-

out their parents knowledge or consent.

The incidents occurred and the lawsuit

was filed during the tenure of the prior Yuba

County Sheriff, Gary Tindel. The settlement

was agreed to by the current Sheriff,

Virginia Black, who was elected in June

1998 and took office in January 1999. Hf

legal and educational programs.

Advocates and Defenders of the Bill of Rights

Campaign - which began in mid-October with a Defenders celebration. The

S WCampaign consists of a total of eight weeks of targeted phoning to pre-selected

ACLU members by volunteers in a region-wide effort to raise $100,000 for ACLU -NC's

A. Advocates party on November 9 will mark phase two of the annual Bill of Rights

After more than 15 years, the Bill of Rights Campaign continues to be our most suc-

cessful grassroots fundraising effort. This year, back by popular demand, at each phone

night a guest speaker will provide updates on high profile civil liberties cases and other

"hot topics." In addition, we provide complimentary dinner and all volunteer phoners

receive an Advocates for the Bill of Rights messenger bag in premium black canvas.

Five phone bank nights will be at the ACLU office in San Francisco, from 6pm -

9pm. In December, an additional phone night will be held in San Mateo.

If you would like to participate or, if you would like more information, call Bill

Carpmill at 415/431-8651. Volunteers are needed for the dates below.

November 1999

sSMTWHMT F S

10x00B02 3 4 5 6

7 8 10 11 12 13

14 15 76 17 @8)19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29

December 1999

SMT WT F S0x00A7S

2 3 4

5 6 2 and 9 10 11

12 1344) 7 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

Join Us. Everyone welcome. No experience necessary

ACLUN_1981.MODS ACLUN_1981.batch ACLUN_1982 ACLUN_1982.MODS ACLUN_1982.batch ACLUN_1983 ACLUN_1983.MODS ACLUN_1984 ACLUN_1984.MODS ACLUN_1984.batch ACLUN_1985 ACLUN_1985.MODS ACLUN_1985.batch ACLUN_1986 ACLUN_1986.MODS ACLUN_1986.batch ACLUN_1987 ACLUN_1987.MODS ACLUN_1987.batch ACLUN_1988 ACLUN_1988.MODS ACLUN_1988.batch ACLUN_1989 ACLUN_1989.MODS ACLUN_1989.batch ACLUN_1990 ACLUN_1990.MODS ACLUN_1990.batch ACLUN_1991 ACLUN_1991.MODS ACLUN_1991.batch ACLUN_1992 ACLUN_1992.MODS ACLUN_1992.batch ACLUN_1993 ACLUN_1993.MODS ACLUN_1993.batch ACLUN_1994 ACLUN_1994.MODS ACLUN_1994.batch ACLUN_1995 ACLUN_1995.MODS ACLUN_1995.batch ACLUN_1996 ACLUN_1996.MODS ACLUN_1996.batch ACLUN_1997 ACLUN_1997.MODS ACLUN_1997.batch ACLUN_1998 ACLUN_1998.MODS ACLUN_1998.batch ACLUN_1999 ACLUN_1999.MODS ACLUN_1999.batch ACLUN_ladd ACLUN_ladd.MODS add-tei.sh create-bags.sh create-manuscript-bags.sh create-manuscript-batch.sh fits.log San Mateo .

oe

SOR"

By Davip Harris

aha Jorjani has a unique perspec-

Ree As an activist, she is passionate

about immigrant rights and human

rights. As a senior at U.C. Berkeley, her

thesis on identity issues of Iranian immi-

grants in San Francisco is borne out of her

own family's experience. And as the

youngest member of the ACLU-NC Board of

Directors and an at-large member of the

Field Committee, she brings impressive

political savvy and practical experience to

the Northern California affiliate.

"Tm still trying to figure out what role I

can play as a Board Member," Jorjani said

at an interview with the ACLU News during

the ACLU Annual Conference at Walker

Creek Ranch in Marin. "School is still my

central focus. But I'm grateful to the ACLU

for providing an outlet for youth activism

and the organization's focus on reaching

out to young people. Young people don't

always get a lot of credit."

In the summer of 1997, Jorjani traveled

with the Howard A. Friedman First

Amendment Education Project to explore

the issue of immigration. Project Director

Nancy Otto praised Jorjani's leadership role

on the trip and follow-up activities. "Raha

quickly rose to a leadership position in our

Student Advisory Committee, but she did it

in sucha subtle and wonderful way that oth-

er students just gravitated toward her and

learned by her example. She was an engag-

ing and powerful speaker in the schools and

at the conferences where she led workshops

of more than 50 to 100 of her peers on com-

plicated and controversial civil liberties

issues, staying on topic and keeping every-

one's interest. She is an outstanding

activist, and a great example of how young

people can come to the ACLU and become

powerful advocates for civil liberties."

Jorjani also attended the National

ACLU Biennial Conference in San Diego

last June where she met delegates from all

ACLU affiliates. The People of Color Caucus

stood out for Jorjani as one of the most

interesting parts of the event: addressing

race and ethnicity issues is at the forefront

of her own social and political agenda.

"Tm thinking about going into law as a

career, and I'd like to combine civil liber-

ties and human rights, perhaps by focusing

on immigrant and refugee law," says

Jorjani, who has also worked as a research

assistant for a San Francisco-based immi-

aT

3

Se ST SSE

Chapter Meetings (c)

(Chapter meetings are open to all interested members.

Contact the Chapter activist listed for your area.)

B-A-R-K (Berkeley-Albany-Richmond-Ken-

sington) Chapter Meeting: (Usually first

Wednesday) For more information, time and address of

meetings, contact Diana Wellum at 510/841-2069.

Chico Chapter /f you are a member in the

Chico/Redding area, please contact Steven Post-Jeyes at

415/345-1449.

Fresno Chapter Meeting: (Usually fourth

Tuesday). Please join our newly-reorganized Chapter!

Meetings are held at 7:00 PM at the Fresno Center for

Non-Violence. For more information, call Bob Hirth

209/225-6223 (days).

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights

Chapter For more information, contact Lisa Maldonado

415/621-2493.

Marin County Chapter Meeting: (Usually third

Monday) Meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Marin Senior

_ David HARRIS

Raha Jorjani

gration attorney. "All Americans, regard-

less of their racial and ethnic background

or immigration status, are entitled to their

constitutional rights."

Immigration has always been an

important for Jorjani. When she was a

child, her parents immigrated from Iran

to the Bay Area. "You give up a lot," she

said. You lose the social networks that

you come from. There's a lot of uncertain-

ty in that transition."

When the pro-Democracy student

movements in Iran demonstrated earlier

this year, Jorjani organized and educated

her Cal classmates about the importance

of student solidarity. She wrote articles for

the Daily Californian and posted flyers

around campus. Jorjani, a double major in

Ethnic Studies and Peace and Conflict

Studies, was also involved in the student

protests against Berkeley administrators

bent on gutting the university's Ethnic

Studies Department last spring.

Jorjani tries hard to balance her time as

an ACLU Board Member with her other

activism. She's on the Legal Committee of

the student-based Third World Liberation

Front, a member of the San Francisco-

based Women's Institute for Leadership

Development (W.I.L.D.), and serving a sec-

ond term on the Youth Advisory Board of the

Young Girl's Program, which sponsors edu-

cational workshops for high school girls.

"I think immigrant rights and racial jus-

tice will always be important to me. As a

Board member and a Field Committee mem-

ber, I'm excited to be part of the ACLU's

grassroots efforts on racism, the death

penalty and other priority issues," Jorjani

said. "The Activist Conference is a great way |

to learn about key civil liberties issues." Hf

David Harris is a contributor to the

ACLU News.

Se SY

Coordinating Council, "Whistlestop Wheels," Caboose

Room, 930 Tamalpais Ave., San Rafael. For more infor-

mation, contact Coleman Persily at 415/479-1731.

| Mid-Peninsula Chapter Meeting: (Usually fourth

| Thursday) Meet at 7:00 PM, at 460 South California

Avenue, Suite 11, Palo Alto. F information, con-

wong, Sue V1, Palo Alto. Formove information car 9915415:

tact Ken Russell at 650/325-8750.

Monterey County Chapter Meeting: (Usually third

Tuesday) Meet at 7:15 PM, Monterey Library. For more

information, contact Richard Criley at 408/624-7562.

North Peninsula (San Mateo area) Chapter

Meeting: (Usually third Monday) Meet at 7:30 PM, at

700 Laurel Street, Park Tower Apartments, top floor.

Check-out our web page at: http://members.

aol.com/mpenaclu. For more information, contact Marc

Fagel at 650/579-1789.

Oakland (renamed Paul Robeson Chapter)

Chapter Meeting: (Usually fourth Thursday) For more

informaton contact Stan Brackett: 510/832-1915.

Redwood (Humboldt County) Chapter

Meeting: (Usually every third Tuesday) Meet at

Luzmillo's, 1288 6 Street, Arcata at 7:00 PM. For infor-

Join the Campaigns

Two Dangerous

Initiatives Slated for

March 2000 Ballot

ANTI-YOUTH

The initiative imposes a harsh punitive approach to addressing juvenile crime by

Pt Wilson's Youth/Juvenile Crime Initiative, will put our youth into jail-track lives.

incarcerating many more juveniles for longer periods of time. The initiative, which

makes hundreds of changes in California law, contains many failed proposals of former

Governor Wilson that were rejected by the Legislature in prior years. If passed, this initia-

tive will fill our prisons with youthful offenders, some placed alongside adult convicts, and

will make it nearly impossible for youthful offenders to rehabilitate.

ANTI-GAY

Pete Knight would make it legally impossible for any couple other than a man and a

ik so-called Defense of Marriage or Knight intitiative spearheaded by State Senator

woman to marry in California. This initiative is a "wedge" issue that will be used to

codify anti-gay measures. In states with similar legislation on the books, courts and policy-

makers have relied on such laws to deny adoptions by lesbian or gay parents, to defeat anti-

defeated similar bills five times.

_ discrimination measures for lesbians and gay men, and even to justify the elimination of

| protections provided by anti-hate crimes laws. The California Assembly has already

WATCH OUR WEBSITE FOR

DEVELOPMENTS: WWW.ACLUNC.ORG

You Can Help Stop These Initiatives!

Telephone: 415 621-2498, Address:

mation on upcoming meeting dates and times, please

call 707/444-6595.

Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting: (Usually

first Wednesday) Meet at 7:00 PM at the Java City in

Sutter Galleria (between 29 and 30, J and K Streets) in

Sacramento. For more information, contact David Miller

San Francisco Chapter Meeting: (Third Tuesday)

Meet at 6:45 PM at the ACLU-NC Office, 1663 Mission

Street, Suite #460, San Francisco. Call the Chapter

Hotline (979-6699) for further details.

Santa Clara Valley Chapter Meeting: (Usually

first Tuesday) Meet at 7:00 PM at the Peace Center,

48 S. 7th St., San Jose, CA. For further chapter infor-

mation contact Dan Costello at 408/287-6403.

Santa Cruz County Chapter Meeting: (Usually

third Monday) Meet at 7:15 PM. For more information,

contact Dianne Vaillancourt at 408/454-0112.

Sonoma County Chapter Meeting: (Usually third

Tuesday) Meet at 7:30 PM at the Peace and Justice

Center, 540 Pacific Avenue, Santa Rosa. Call Judith

Volkart at 415/899-3044 for more information.

Lisa Maldonado, ACLU-NC Field Representative, Email (lisam@aclunc.org),

American Civil Liberties Union of Northern

California, 1663 Mission Street, Suite 460, San Francisco, CA 94103

es a a aor CR ae ge Nee Bea peor eR RES PS 1

| CHECK AS MANY AS YOU WISH

1 1

Yes, I want to help defeat the Anti-Youth Initiative

(1 Yes, I want to help defeat the Anti-Gay Initiative

(c) I'll work wherever you need me against either/both of these dangerous measures.

Name 1

1 Address

City State Zip

Your telephone and/orEmail

: Send to or contact: 1

L

NT See 2 EE

Yolo County Chapter Meeting: (Usually third

| Tuesday) Meet at 7:30 PM, 2505 5th Street #154,

Davis. For more information, call Natalie Wormeli at

530/756-1900 or Dick Livingston at 530/753-

7055.

Chapters Reorganizing

If you are interested in reviving the Mt. Diablo

Chapter, please contact Field Representative Lisa

Maldonado at 415/621-2493.

Field Action Meetings

(All meetings except those noted will be held at the

ACLU-NC Office, 1663 Mission Street, 460, San

Francisco.)

Student Outreach Committee: Meet to plan out-

reach activities. For more information, contact Nancy

Otto at 415/621-2493.

Student Advisory Committee: For more informa-

tion, contact Nancy Otto at 415/621-2493.

ACLU News = NovemsBer-DecemBer 1999 = Pace 8S