vol. 58, no. 1
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ORGANIZATION
U.S. PosTAGE
PAID
Permit No.4424
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Volume LVIII
Homeless Plaintiffs File Federal Suit to
January-February 1994
No. 1
Halt
-Mayor Jordan's Matrix Program
( slat that Mayor Frank Jordan's
Matrix program violates the consti-
tutional rights of homeless people
in San Francisco, homeless individuals,
represented by the ACLU-NC, the
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of
the San Francisco Bay Area, and the law
firm of Munger, Tolles and Olson, filed a
class action lawsuit on November 23 in
U.S. District Court in San Francisco. On
December 23, attorneys moved for a pre-
liminary injunction aimed at halting the
Matrix program.
Plaintiffs in the suit, Joyce v. San
Francisco, represent the class of homeless
people affected by the Matrix program,
which the City describes as a comprehen-
sive enforcement effort carried out by the
San Francisco Police Department against
sleeping in public parks, "lodging" any-
where on public property and "blocking
sidewalks." Thousands of homeless peo-
ple have been cited, arrested or otherwise
harassed by this program; over seventy
declarations were filed in support of the
suit.
"San Francisco is outlawing every-
thing but walking for homeless people -
then calling us criminals when we stop to
rest, sleep, eat or drink," said Paul Boden
of the Coalition on Homelessness.
Plaintiff Bo by oe J oyce was arrested for s eeping in Civic Center when he could not
get a shelter bed in San Francisco.
Meryl Schenker/The Recorder
"Of course, some homeless people are
guilty of these kinds of offenses, because
they have nowhere else to go," said
Marcia Rosen, staff attorney with the
Lawyers' Committee. "San Francisco has
1994-95 Board Elections
s provided by the ACLU-NC
A bylaws, revised in 1980, the
ACLU-NC membership is enti-
tled to elect its 1994-95 Board of
Directors directly. The Nominating
Committee is now seeking suggestions
from the membership to fill at-large
positions on the Board.
ACLU members may participate in
the nominating process in two ways:
1. They may send suggestions for
the Nominating Committee's considera-
tion by April 15, 1994. (Address sug-
gestions to: Nominating Committee,
ACLU-NC, 1663 Mission Street, #460,
San Francisco, CA 94103. Include your
nominee's qualifications and how the
nominee may be reached.)
2. They may submit a petition of
nomination with the signatures of 15
current ACLU-NC members. Petitions
of nomination, which should also
include the nominee's qualifications,
must be submitted to the Board of
Directors by May 22, 1994 (20 days
after the May Board of Directors meet-
ing.)
(Current ACLU members are those
who have renewed their membership
during the last 12 months. Only current
members are eligible to submit nomina-
tions, sign petitions of nomination, and
vote.)
ACLU members will select Board
members from the slate of candidates
nominated by petition and by the
Nominating Committee. The ballot will
appear in the July/August 1994 issue of
the ACLU News.
Article VII, Section 3: The final
report of the Nominating Committee to
nominate members-at-large to the Board
will be presented at the May Board of
Directors meeting [The May Board
meeting will be held on May 12, 1994.]
Members of the Board may propose
additional nominations. If no additional
nominations are proposed by Board
members, the Board, by a majority of
those present and voting, shall adopt the
Nominating Committee's report. If
additional nominations are proposed, the
Board shall, by written ballot, elect a
slate of nominees with each member
being entitled to cast a number of votes
equal to the vacancies to be filled; the
Board slate of nominees shall be those
persons, equal in number to the vacan-
cies to be filled, who have received the
greatest number of votes. The list of
nominees to be placed before the mem-
bership of the Union for election shall
be those person nominated by the Board
as herein provided, together with those
persons nominated by petition as here-
after provided in Section 4.
Article VII, Section 4: Any fifteen
or more members of the Union in good
standing may themselves submit a nom-
ination to be included among those
voted upon by the general membership
by submitting a written petition to the
Board not later than twenty days after
the adoption by the Board of the slate of
Board nominees. No member of the
Union may sign more than one such
petition, and each such nomination shall
be accompanied by a summary of quali-
fications and the written consent of the
nominee.
one of the highest rates of homelessness in
the nation. Yet the City funds at most
1,400 shelter beds to accommodate the
approximately 11,000 to 16,000 homeless
men and women in San Francisco.
"The Matrix program therefore has the
effect of criminalizing homelessness and
poverty," Rosen added.
ACLU-NC attorney Schlosser
explained, "The purpose of the Matrix pro-
gram is not to enforce misdemeanor
statutes. Rather, it is designed and intend-
ed to harass, intimidate, and detain home-
less San Franciscans in an attempt to drive
them from the city."
The lawsuit charges that the Matrix
program violates federal and state consti-
tutions by punishing individuals based on
their status of being homeless, burdening
their right to travel, discriminating against
the homeless as a group, depriving home-
less people of their right to due process
and unlawfully confiscating the personal
property of homeless persons.
"The Constitution promises homeless
people protection from this most blatant
form of persecution: punishment for the
mere act of living, as they must, in public
areas," said attorney Brad Phillips.
The four named plaintiffs are Bobby
Joe Joyce, Thomas O' Halloran, Jim Tullah
and Timothy E. Smith. They are represent-
ed by cooperating attorneys Brad Phillips,
Steve Kristovich, Jeff Bleich and Martin
Bern of Munger, Tolles and Olson; Marcia
Rosen and Diane Chin of the Lawyers'
Committee and ACLU-NC managing
attorney Alan Schlosser.
Depleted life savings
Plaintiff O' Halloran, a native San
Franciscan and the son of a police officer,
worked for 25 years at Pacific Bell and
raised eight children with his wife who
died in 1991. After depleting his life sav-
ings on medical care for his wife,
O'Halloran found himself homeless and
unsuccessfully playing the City's lottery to
win a bed for a night in a shelter.
Continued on page 6
Bill of Rights Day Celebration
More photos and story on pages 5 - 6
A throng of well-wishers, young and old, greet honoree Melba Beals (on podium
Shirley Nakao
left) and Aileen Hernandez at the Bill of Rights Day Celebration.
_Inside the ACLU News
Immigration: Myths and Facts: Part Il ...................... page 4
Three Strikes, You're Out
What the new crime proposals mean for your civil liberties...and
VOU SAIC oooh cee ee eee page 2
9 aclu news
january - february 1994
Playing Soft Ball with Crime:
No "Quick Fix'' Solutions
by Dorothy Ehrlich
ACLU-NC Executive Director
6 | hree strikes, you're out!" It's
an attractive political slogan
- unfortunately, that's all it
is. At last count there are four such crime
proposals either headed for the June
California ballot, or currently being debat-
ed by the Legislature. Each one is
designed solely for the purpose of insuring
that politicians are elected, or reelected to
public office. Not one of them will
respond to the genuine fear of crime on the
street that voters really feel. These dracon-
jan measures represent the most cynical
manipulation of those fears, in the most
incendiary atmosphere. -
Whether or not these irresponsibl
politicians prevail will largely depend on
whether the people of California find out
the truth about these initiatives: what they
will really do and to whom.
It is not a pretty picture. Most people
trust that when elected officials tell them
that these wide-ranging proposals will pro-
tect them from violent offenders, they
mean it. But even the most cursory reading
of the initiative or the copycat legislation
being debated in Sacramento, shows that
lawmakers are more interested in protect-
ing their future than your safety. This leg-
islation, for example, would require a
judge to sentence a burglar to a minimum
25-year to life sentence on a third convic-
tion for stealing a bicycle from a garage.
And it doesn't matter at what age the first
two bike snatchings occurred, nor does a
judge have the discretion to alter that
mandatory sentence.
The leading proposal, which is expect-
ed to appear on the June 1994 ballot, is the
initiative drafted by Mike Reynolds and
supported by Assemblymember Bill Jones
(R-Fresno) and Jini Costa (D-Fresno) as
AB 971. It focuses on "violent or serious"
felonies, as defined by the penal code.
That definition includes furnishing or sell-
ing controlled substances (e.g. cocaine) to
a minor; burglary of an inhabited dwelling;
and a list of many crimes for which perpe-
trators should be held accountable - but
surely not for a life term.
We could give the supporters of the
initiative the benefit of the doubt and
assume they didn't read it, and that's why
they are going along with this popular pro-
posal. But even then, why should the pub-
lic accept this notion that we have to wait
for three crimes to be committed before .
More people are behind prison bars
in the United States than anywhere in
the industrialized world.
we get. serious about the commission of
felonies? Shouldn't the goal be to prevent -
criminal activity in the first place so that
we can truly be safer on the streets?
Prison building frenzy
After a fifteen-year prison building
frenzy which resulted in a five-fold
increase in the prison population, and no
attributable decrease in crime, why
should elected officials rely solely on a
failed system to do the job? Moreover,
these lawmakers seem willing to forfeit
the lives of a whole generation of young
men mainly so they can be reelected.
And if the status quo is maintained, we
can expect young men of color to bear
the brunt of this injustice.
A further disappointment is that in fact
so much has been learned over the past fif-
natal care to community mental health ser-
vices to anti-violence school curricula, we
can begin to make a real difference in the
lives of many families for whom there is
currently so little support and so little
hope.
Support children
For the many children and young
adults who need support now, support
which could prevent a lifetime of crime or
a lifetime of costly incarceration, that help
will not be forthcoming. Those funds,
_ which are already entirely inadequate, will
be diverted to support the unrelenting
expenses of locking up our citizenry and
throwing away the key. We leave them not
even a glimmer of hope.
More people are behind prison bars in
the United States than anywhere in the
The ACLU and our allies are trying
to shift the debate from incarceration
to prevention; from punishment to
rehabilitation; and ultimately, from
retribution to justice.
teen years about the control and prevention
of crime, and yet the facts are being stu-
diously avoided. We know that if we com-
mit public funds to education, to rehabili-
tation, to job training,to drug treatment and
prevention, to programs ranging from pre-
please chet
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RTMENT.
California and
industrialized world. More than the former
Soviet Union, more than South Africa. In
fact, we imprison black men in America at
four times the rate of South Africa. This
dependence on incarceration has become
nearly insatiable: it literally drains all the
available resources, from the funds previ-
ously available to higher education or the
ones used to vaccinate children.
Stemming the tide
Fundamental civil liberties principles
are being torn apart under the Capitol
dome. The ACLU legislative advocates
and other civil rights and religious organi-
zations are working feverishly to stem the
tide of hysteria, and to remind our elected
officials of their sworn duty to defend the
Constitution, including its due process and
equal protection provisions, let alone the
prohibition against cruel or unusual pun-
ishment. They have had some limited suc-
cess. Working with Bay Area Assembly-
members Tom Bates (D-Berkeley) and
Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), amendments
have been introduced to require mandatory
drug treatment for all first time offenders
(currently very little treatment is even
available), coupled with mandatory inten-
sive supervision, counseling and job train-
ing for parolees.
The ACLU and our allies are trying
to shift the debate from incarceration to
prevention; from punishment to rehabili-
tation; and ultimately, from retribution to
justice.
The challenge is great, as is the enor-
mous cost of losing. While the powerful
interests of the lobby representing the cor-
rectional officers, along with the billion dol-
lar prison construction industry will gain
significantly, the rest of the state would lit-
erally be bankrupted by the proposals. The
loss of revenue will be felt by every sector
from services to protect children from
abuse, to relief for victims of crime.
The ACLU is often accused of wanting
to "tie the hands of law enforcement" or
ignoring public safety when we oppose
these measures. On January 6, the same day
that the Assembly Public Safety Committee
voted 7-1 (with only Assemblyman Bates
dissenting) to put the "Three Strikes,
You're Out" measure on the June ballot,
Nathan Cosby, an innocent Oakland man,
was shot dead in his own home by police
who were searching for his estranged
wife in a credit card fraud case. The
police used a battering ram to storm into
his home at 7:00 AM.
Was Nathan Cosby safe in his own
home? If we are really going to make
laws that make all of us safer, let us look
at all of the sources of violence and look
to comprehensive solutions.
Real answers to the problems of crime
do not emerge from political sloganeering.
The complex social and economic prob-
lems which result in violence require a
thoughtful consideration of proposals
which may or may not be politically popu-
lar. For civil libertarians, who surely care
about safety in our communities, we must
continue to remind elected officials that
the war against crime need not be a war
against civil liberties. While there are no
quick fix solutions, efforts to make our
streets and homes safer can - and must
- be developed without the need to com-
promise fundamental freedoms.
aclu news
6 issues a year: January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August,
September -October, and November-December.
Published by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California
Milton Estes, Chairperson
Dorothy Ehrlich, Executive Director
Elaine Elinson, Editor
Lisa Maldonado, Field Page
ZesTop Publishing, Design and Layout
1663 Mission St., 4th Floor
San Francisco, California 94103
(415) 621-2493
Membership $20 and up, of which 50 cents is for a subscription to the aclu news
and 50 cents is for the national ACLU bi-monthly publication, Civil Liberties.
aclu news 3
january - february 1994
Arrest Records to Be Destroyed
S.F. Agrees to Pay Arrested King (c)
Demonstrators $220,000
n December 9, the ACLU-NC and
() co-counsel Pillsbury, Madison and
Sutro announced that the City of
San Francisco agreed to settle the lawsuit
Brown v. Jordan by paying $220,000 as
well as destroying the records of the
almost 400 people swept up in a mass
arrest on May 8, 1992. The U.S. District
Court preliminarily approved the settle-
ment agreement on December 8.
The suit was filed on behalf of the
hundreds of demonstrators who were
arrested on May 8, 1992 while peacefully
protesting police brutality, racism and the
state court acquittals of the LAPD officers
in the heating of Rodney King.
The settlement agreement was approved
by the Police Commission in December
and must be authorized by the Board of
Supervisors before becoming final. That
vote is scheduled for January. Money
from the settlement will be divided
among the plaintiffs; $50,000 of the total
is allocated for attorneys fees and costs.
The ACLU will be notifying plaintiffs
about the settlement procedures.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the group
of people who on May 8, 1992 - ten
days after the verdict in the police beat-
ing of Rodney King and a week after the
lifting of the State of Emergency in San
Francisco - held a peaceful march from
Dolores Park to Duboce Park. The pro-
testers were first blocked off and then
encircled by police; they were never
given an opportunity to disperse before
being arrested.
"This settlement vindicates the consti-
tutional right to take part in peaceful
demonstrations without fear of arrest,"
said cooperating attorney Roxane Polidora
of Pillsbury, Madison and Sutro. "This type
of lawsuit helps to ensure that the police
will adhere to the First Amendment and
follow official crowd control procedures at
David Keenan
San Francisco demonstrators, arrested for protesting the acquittals in the Los Angeles police beating of Rodney King, will have
their arrest records destroyed.
"This settlement vindicates the constitutional
right to take part in peaceful demonstrations
without fear of arrest."
-Roxane Polidora, ACLU-NC Cooperating Attorney
future demonstrations,' added Polidora.
"The ACLU brought this case because
there was no justification for the mass arrest
of hundreds of innocent people," said
ACLU-NC staff attorney Alan Schlosser.
"We hope that this lawsuit - and the
settlement - establish that San
Francisco will not pursue a `sweep the
streets' policy with respect to similar
protests in the future."
High Court Rules No
Notice Necessary for
sobriety Checkpoints
by Jean Field
ess than a month after hearing oral
arguments, the California Supreme
Court ruled on December 23 that
police do not have to give advance publici-
ty when they set up roadblocks to catch
drunken drivers.
On December 6, ACLU cooperating
attorney Amitai Schwartz argued that an
unpublicized roadblock violates the Fourth
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In its
5-2 decision in People v. Banks, the Court
ruled that although advance publicity can
soften the intrusion for drivers, and
increase the deterrent effects of the check-
points, such notice is not a constitutional
requirement.
The case grows out of a 1990 drunk
driving conviction from the town of Seal
Beach in southern California.
The ACLU affiliates of Northern and
Southern California participated as amicus
curiae in the case, which was the first
roadblock case to be considered by the
Supreme Court since its 1987 decision in
the ACLU-NC lawsuit Ingersoll v.
Palmer. The Ingersoll decision upheld the
right of law enforcement officers to stop
drivers without individual cause at drunk
driving roadblocks so long as the check-
points are conducted in a reasonable man-
ner with certain safeguards to protect the
motoring public. One of the safeguards,
the ACLU argued, is advance publicity,
which reduces the fear and surprise that
motorists feel when confronted by a police
stop, and also provides a strong deterrent
effect against drunk driving.
Schwartz, a former ACLU-NC staff
attorney who also argued Ingersoll,
explained that advance publicity provides
the deterrence which distinguishes this
type of police activity from ordinary
police activities meant to catch criminals.
"If roadblocks are simply meant to catch
drunk drivers, then under Ingersoll, stops
must be based on individualized suspicion.
In 1987," Schwartz added, we
warmed the court that it was starting down
a road that led to less and less protection
for the Fourth Amendment rights of inno-
cent drivers. The Banks decision removes
another important safeguard.
"It's a shame that the court was not
willing to take a stronger stand against the
erosion of the constitutional rights of
motorists."
The suit was filed on September 3,
1992 in U.S. District Court in San
Francisco by ACLU-NC staff attorney
Alan Schlosser, and cooperating attorneys
Robert A. Mittelstaedt, Roxane A.
Polidora, Shawn E. Hanson, and Melanie
Sherk, all of the San Francisco law firm of
Pillsbury, Madison and Sutro. The defen-
dants included Mayor Frank Jordan, for-
mer police chief Richard Hongisto, the
Police Commission and several high rank-
ing police officers
"The City's agreement both to offer
compensation to the victims of the May
8th mass arrests and destroy their arrest
records finally addresses some of the most
egregious civil rights violations in that
demonstration," said Schlosser.
State Supreme Court
Rules Drug Labels
Must Warn Only in
English
by Jean Field
English-speaking consumers, the
California Supreme Court ruled on
December 9 that manufacturers of non-
prescription drugs need not print warning
labels in languages other than English.
The unanimous decision in Ramirez
v. Plough came despite the efforts of a
coalition of civil rights and health-care
advocates, who submitted an amicus
brief on behalf of 8-year-old Jorge
Ramirez, who was severely disabled by
Reye's Syndrome after his Spanish-
speaking parents gave him St. Joseph
Aspirin for Children when he was a
baby. The aspirin label carried only an
English-language warning that use for
children under 2 should be under the
direction of a doctor.
"This is a tragedy for the Ramirez fam-
ily and all the other consumers who now
have no legal recourse when products that
are marketed in their language carry no
warnings in that language," said ACLU-
NC staff attorney Ed Chen. "When these
products hurt them, they can't turn to a
court of law for help."
"This is a failure of justice," said Rosa
Rivera, Jorge's mother. Jorge, who is
quadriplegic, blind and severely mentally
E: a setback to the rights of non-
impaired, lives with his family near
Modesto, and requires 24-hour supervision
and care.
Former California Supreme Court
Justice Joseph Grodin argued before the
high court on behalf of the coalition,
which included the ACLU affiliates of
Northern and Southern California,
Mexican American Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Trial Lawyers for
Public Justice, and Public Citizen Health
Research Group.
"Multinational corporations like
Plough, Inc., which manufactures St.
Joseph Aspirin for Children, may use
Spanish to promote their sales and bring
them profits, but then use only English to
warn about the risk of their products," said
Justice Grodin. "At the very least, a jury
should determine whether a company's
failure to warn non-English-speaking con-
sumers was unreasonable under the cir-
cumstances."
In its decision, the court said that the
Legislature has the power to mandate
labels in languages other than English, but
since it did not do so, such warnings were
not required.
"The court has essentially punted the
whole issue to lawmakers," said Chen.
"That leaves consumers at risk until the
Legislature or other regulatory agency
takes action to protect them."
aclu news
4 january - february 1994
Confronting Anti-Immigrant Myths
The Political and
Social Impact of
Immigration
MYTH: Our cities are going bank-
rupt because immigrants don't pay
taxes.
FACT: THE FEDERAL GOVERN-
MENT COLLECTS THE VAST MAJOR-
ITY OF THE TAX REVENUE OF ALL
U.S. RESIDENTS (NATIVE AND FOR-
EIGN BORN) EVEN THOUGH LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND STATES PRO-
VIDE MOST PUBLIC SERVICES.
e In L.A. County, immigrants paid at
least $4.3 billion in taxes during the 1990-
91 fiscal year. But 60% of the tax rev-
enues contributed went to the federal gov-
ernment, while L.A. County got only 3%.
cent Over the past 10 years the federal
government has reduced its contribution to
refugee assistance in California by 90%,
placing enormous burdens on the state and
local governments.
cent Federal funds authorized by the
Immigration Reform and Control Act to
pay for health and education of recently
legalized immigrants have been deferred
for the last three federal budgets, costing
California an estimated $700 million.
MytH: We would save a lot of
money if we stopped paying for
free education and health care for
immigrants.
FACT: EDUCATION AND EMER-
GENCY HEALTH CARE ARE ESSEN-
TIAL SERVICES THAT WILL SAVE
MONEY IN THE LONG TERM.
e Earnings and work opportunities rise
significantly and dependence on public
assistance drops dramatically with educa-
tion. Education is the single most impor-
tant determinant of need for public assis-
tance among all populations.
e Because of fear and misinformation,
many immigrants avoid public health ser-
vices until they are seriously ill, ultimately
making treatment more expensive than if
ontroversy concerning immigrants and their place in our polit-
ical and economic life continues to rage throughout this state
and the nation. Even though the ACLU has throughout its
nearly 75-year history stood up to prevent the scapegoating and unfair
treatment of immigrants - especially during times of economic decline
- the current controversy has even our own members asking questions
about what ACLU policy should be in light of the current debate.
The ACLU criticism of the current immigration "reforms" being
touted by leading politicians must be understood in conjunction with a
number of facts about immigrants and immigration policy.
Unfortunately, there is a wealth of misinformation about the contribu-
tion which immigrants make to our nation, and our state in particular.
In the last issue of the ACLU News, we presented some common myths
and not-so-common facts on the economic impact of immigration. In
this issue, we will explore the political and social impact of immigra-
tion.
We hope that this information, adapted from materials provided by
our legislative staff, the national ACLU and the local Coalition for
Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Services will be helpful to our mem-
bers as we continue to fight civil liberties violations against immigrants.
We asked for your comments - and we received many. In the next
issue of the ACLU News we will print excerpts from the letters we have
received.
Paul Winternitz
proper preventive care was provided. For
example, every $1 spent on prenatal care
saves $3 in costs for babies born with ill-
nesses.
0x00B0 Lack of accessible sources of preven-
tion and treatment for communicable dis-
eases such as tuberculosis in immigrant
communities unnecessarily threatens pub-
lic health.
Paul Winternitz
cent Current federal requirements to pro-
vide emergency care to the undocumented
allows federal governments to share those
costs. Eliminating such federal require-
ments would only shift 100% of these costs
to state and local governments.
MytTuH: Our borders are out of
control; we are being over-
whelmed by immigrants.
FACT: IMMIGRANTS MAKE UP A
SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER PER-
CENTAGE OF THE U.S. POPULATION
THAN IN PREVIOUS DECADES; IN
1990 IMMIGRANTS WERE ONLY
EIGHT PERCENT OF THE U.S. POPU-
LATION. :
cent Eight out of ten immigrants who enter
the U.S. each year enter legally. Of these,
75% are admitted to be reunited with close
family members and ten percent are
refugees.
cent Of the 17.5 million political refugees
recognized by the U.N. worldwide, less than
1% find safe haven in the U.S. each year.
cent Immigrants entering the U.S. under
family reunification and refugee programs
fill the demand for labor at all levels of the
economy as well as immigrants admitted
specifically for their skills.
cent Less than 1.5% of the U.S. population
is undocumented, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau.
MytTH: Today's immigrants dont
learn English and don't want to
become Americans.
FACT: IMMIGRANTS ARE LEARN-
ING ENGLISH AND BECOMING A
PART OF AMERICAN CULTURE AT
THE SAME RATE AS PAST GENERA-
TIONS OF IMMIGRANTS.
cent The evidence is that America's most
recent immigrants are assimilating as fast
as earlier groups. Nineteenth century
Americans claimed that the Irish, German
and other immigrants would never become
part of mainstream culture.
e Children of immigrants continue the
American tradition of social mobility
through education, and are as likely to
attend public schools, as unlikely to be
dropouts, and as likely to graduate from
high school as children of U.S.-born par-
ents.
cent Most immigrants, and almost all chil-
dren of immigrants, can speak English after
a few years in the U.S. Approximately two
of every three immigrants in California
speak English proficiently. The over-
whelming majority of immigrants eventual-
ly learn English. ~
cent Reports from throughout the U.S.
indicate a tremendous unmet need for
English as a Second Language (ESL) class-
es, with adult newcomers waiting months
or even years before getting the opportuni-
ty to learn English.
This information comes from the
Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee
Rights. Sources include: Los Angeles
County Internal Services Department,
California Assembly Office of Research,
California Senate Office Research,
California Research Bureau, National
Immigration Forum. For a list of citations,
please write ACLU News, 1663 Mission
Street, Suite 460, San Francisco 94103 CA.
aclu news 5
january - february 1994
Bill of Rights Day Celebration
Honors Student Leaders
C6
onight we are honoring both
the past and the present of the
ACLU. We are excited as we
honor those who have led the way and the
new generation of civil liberties activists,"
said ACLU-NC Chairperson Milton Estes
to a standing-room-only Bill of Rights Day
Celebration audience at the Hyatt Hotel in
San Francisco on December 5.
The diverse civil libertarians ranged
from septuagenarian ACLU activists to
hundreds of northern California high
school students - all of whom had come
to pay tribute to Dr. Kenneth Clark, Melba
Beals and Christ Eckhardt and their coura-
geous stands for the rights of students.
ACLU-NC Executive Director Dorothy
Ehrlich, in her State of the Union presenta-
tion, reminded ACLU supporters that "our
issues are getting tougher and, in many
ways, less popular."
"Although last year it appeared that we
were on the mend," Ehrlich said, referring
to the end of the Reagan-Bush era, "you
know that the people who have to do the
Honoree Chris Eckhardt thanked his mother
Margaret Eckhardt who supported him who was
suspended from high school when he wore a black
armband to protest the Vietnam War.
el
Honoree Melba Beals and keynote speaker Ira Glasser.
fixing are not in power in the White
House. We are the people to hold them
accountable."
Ehrlich pointed specifically
to the issues of immigration,
where "politicians try to outdo
each other in coming up with
the most onerous legislation,"
homelessness and the death
penalty.
"Right now 385 men and
women sit on California's
death row waiting to die. The
seriousness of their crimes is
but one measure of what was
done to them as children."
Ehrlich also gave special
thanks to outgoing Field
Representative Nancy Otto, the
organizer of the Celebration,
who was leaving the ACLU-
NC after a successful three-
year stint.
The award presentations to
the Earl Warren Civil Liberties
honorees were made by current
youth activists, many of whom
are members of the the Student
Advisory Committee of the
ACLU-NC Howard A.
Bill of Rights celebrants enjoy the display of student art and poetry submitted to the
Freedom of Expression Art Show.
a eS a
ACLU. NC Board chair Milton Estes, volunteer honoree Molly Stolmack and Earl
Warren Award winner Chris Eckhardt.
Friedman First Amendment Education
Project.
Jennifer Cheng, a UC Berkeley stu-
dent, presented the award to Dr. Kenneth
Clark, which was accepted by Aileen
Hernandez as Dr. Clark was unable to trav-
el from New York.
"Dr. Clark's studies showed that not
just black children are disadvantaged by
discrimination - all children are disadvan-
taged by it," said Hernandez, who studied
with Clark at Howard University and
worked shoulder to shoulder with him in
the civil rights movement. "I urge you to
honor Dr. Clark by doing the things neces-
sary to bring us into the sort of future he
envisioned."
Chiyuka Carlos, a plaintiff in a success-
ful ACLU-NC case challenging the use of
gang profiles to discriminate against young
men of color, introduced honoree Melba
Beals.
"While other kids were dancing to
Elvis, I was dodging bullets," said Beals,
`one of the Little Rock Nine who desegre-
gated Central High School in 1957. "I
remember thinking, "Why me, what did I
do wrong?' And wondering why my
grandmother told me it was a blessing."
Chris Eckhardt, a plaintiff in Tinker v.
Des Moines School District case, was
introduced by Lowell High School junior
WAKE
Cu
and student editor Chris Wu. Eckhardt
thanked the ACLU on behalf of his co-
plaintiffs Mary Beth and John Tinker and
himself, and noted, "As teenagers we found
ourselves in a particular moment in history.
We were lucky to have parents that passed
onto us ethical values that led us to exercise
the rights that the Constitution says we can
exercise."
"The advances we made in 1969 would
never have occurred without the ACLU,"
Eckhardt said of the organization that
defended him then and was honoring him
now. "I want to send a message to all the
youth here that you are not alone - young
people around the world are fighting for
these same principles, and the ACLU is
here to help you."
Keynote speaker Ira Glasser, Director
of the national ACLU, was introduced by
Vallejo High School ACLU Club leader
Natalie Adona. In response to her spirited
remarks, Glasser began, "I'll bet that there
are many high school principals worried -
and others turning in their graves - when
they see the incredible leadership of ACLU
chapters in high schools today."
Glasser, who noted that the first issues
he dealt with when he began his work at
the ACLU in 1967, were students rights
issues, reviewed the changes wrought by
student protests from that time. "Students
were suspended for distributing `seditious'
literature, dress code problems, for long
hair on boys and long pants on girls.
School officials thought that if you dress
differently, you might think differently and
be tempted to act differently."
"Yet the schools should be educating
the young for citizenship...not mere plati-
tudes."
Glasser noted that this was the 25th
anniversary of the Tinker decision, where
Justice Fortas stated that students "don't
shed their constitutional rights at the
schoolhouse gates;" he applauded the
Tinker plaintiffs, Beals, and the other stu-
dents who took a stand. "The ACLU would
not have gotten into court if those students
had not taken some risks."
"To the students in this room about to
embark upon a life of activism, it will not
be a room full of admirers," Glasser
Continued on page 6
Student presenters (left to right) Chiyuka Carlos, J enfiter Chang and Chris Wu.
sesh
The San Francisco Community Music Center Children's Chorus with conductor Urs
Steiner.
aclu news
6 january - february 1994
-~ ACLU Defends Free Speech Right
of Homeless Man
n December 16, the ACLU-NC
(i before the Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals in the case of
Blair vy. Shanahan that the San Francisco
Police Department violated the free speech
rights of a homeless man by arresting him
for peacefully seeking funds under a state
law which prohibits begging.
ACLU-NC cooperating attorney
Michael Hallerud, a partner with the San
Francisco law firm of Pettit and Martin,
appeared in front of a three-judge panel on
behalf of Celestus Blair, who was arrested
five times in 1988 and 1989 for peacefully
asking people for money in downtown San ~
Francisco. Blair was arrested for violating
California Penal Code Section 647(c),
which makes it a misdemeanor to
approach others on public sidewalks "for
the purpose of begging or soliciting alms."
Blair, no longer homeless, currently works
as a driver for the Municipal Railway.
In September 1991, United States.
District Court Judge William Orrick ruled
that Penal Code Section 647(c) violates
Homeless Plaintiffs ...
Continued from page 1
"On August 12 at midday, I was sitting
on a bench in Civic Center park reading a
book," said O' Halloran. "The shopping
cart in which my friend and I keep all our
worldly possessions was nearby."
A police officer wrote him a ticket for
camping in the park, which carries a fine
of $76. "I asked the officer what constitut-
ed `camping' in the
park. He replied `I only
Celestus Blair
Rick Rocamora
the First Amendment. Judge Orrick
wrote: "Begging can promote the very
speech values that entitle charitable
appeals to constitutional protection. A
scription medicines. The police threw his
belongings, along with those of his friends,
into a garbage truck where they were com-
pressed and destroyed.
Plaintiff Jim Tullah, who was also born
in San Francisco, is an honorably dis-
charged Marine Corps veteran who
worked as a skilled cabinetmaker for 22
years. He is now homeless and confined to
a wheelchair.
"I cannot live in residential hotels
because they choose not to serve handi-
capped people. On October 9, at 4:53 AM,
I was sleeping in St.
Mary's Park. Two
apply the law, I don't
have to interpret it.' I
have not been able to
pay the fine because I
have no money. I am
extremely worried
about this because now
the ticket has gone to
warrant, and I am
afraid the police will
use the warrant to
threaten or arrest me."
Plaintiff Bobby Joe
Joyce was employed as
a cook at the Multi-
Service Center North
until January of this
year. When he had no
money for a hotel
room and did not win a
lottery bed, he slept in
"Since homeless
individuals have no
choice but to sleep
in public, are
unable to pay fines,
and cannot be
housed in the
City's jails, the
Matrix program is
a sham as a police
police officers on
motorcycles round-
ed up all the home-
less people sleeping
in the park. They
told me to join these
people, but I am
handicapped and
could not move. It
was very difficult
for me as a handi-
capped man to get
down on my knees
to fold the blankets
around me to leave.
Ahe `officers
who gave me a $76
ticket for sleeping
did not tell me
where I could legal-
ly sleep that night.
Civic Center Park and enforcemen t There was in fact no
was arrested in the place for me to go
middle of the night on 39 where I could sleep
October 18. 2 Whe program. without fear of
Matrix program makes arrest."
me feel humiliated AGCEU-NE
about being homeless
and poor. It also makes me feel scared
because I am afraid the police will arrest,
ticket, harass or roust me for sleeping or
being out in public," Joyce said.
"We tried all the political avenues
available to us to stop Matrix," he added,
"T'm hoping the courts will finally help us
out. It's too cold to have to worry about
being constantly on the move."
Property destroyed
Police confiscated the clearly labeled
duffel bag of plaintiff Timothy Smith
which he had left in the care of his friends
in Civic Center Park when he went to have
breakfast at Glide Memorial Church on the
morning of November 12. "When I heard
my duffel bag was taken I went into a state
of shock," said Smith. The bag contained
Smith's clothes, personal letters and pre-
attorney Schlosser
noted that these stories are typical of the
unconstitutional and discriminatory treat-
ment of homeless people in Mayor
Jordan's San Francisco. "Since homeless
individuals have no choice but to sleep in
public, are unable to pay fines, and cannot
be housed in the City's jails, the Matrix
program is a sham as a police enforcement
program."
Since the program was launched in
August, 1993 more than 5,000 enforce-
ment actions have been taken against
homeless persons. Most of these actions
have harassed homeless people based sole-
ly on their condition of being poor and
without housing.
"The City concedes that there is inade-
quate shelter for homeless persons in San
Francisco. State and federal legislatures
have done far too little to deal with the
request for alms clearly conveys informa-
tion regarding the speaker's plight.
Begging gives the speaker an opportunity
to spread his views and ideas on, among
problems of poverty and homelessness.
But San Francisco cannot resort to uncon-
stitutional acts in a misguided attempt to
right this wrong," Schlosser added.
As plaintiff Smith explained, "I am
bringing this lawsuit because the Matrix
students during the lobby reception.
The "Express Yourself?"' computer diskette was a major attraction for high school
other things, the way our society treats its
poor and disenfranchised."
Judge Orrick further ruled that the law
violates equal protection, because it pro-
hibits only approaches accompanied by a
request for personal charity. As Judge
Orrick noted: "One may approach and
speak at will to solicit directions or the
time of day, request signatures for a peti-
tion, or any other number of common
occurrences without running afoul of this
statute."
Judge Orrick rejected the City's claim
that the law is necessary for public protec-
tion, noting that other laws, which do not
restrict speech, prevent intimidating or
coercive behavior.
Following Judge Orrick's ruling, the
City submitted a formal settlement propos-
al, which Blair accepted, resulting in a
consent judgment against the City. The
City then sought unsuccessfully to with-
draw from the judgment, and has now
attempted to appeal from the consent judg-
ment.
Program makes me feel like it is against
the law to be homeless in San Francisco
and because the police have taken all my
possessions from me. I want to stop the
City of San Francisco from treating home-
less people like we are criminals."
Bill of Rights ...
Continued from page 5
warned. "The important thing is not the
victory. The moments when you feel the
most discouraged, look back and remem-
ber that very few knew victory in their
own lifetimes. But in the struggle for lib-
erty, time doesn't run out.
"The lesson learned must be: when
rights are denied, don't give in, don't give
up. In the fight for liberty, stamina is the
most important virtue."
ACLU-NC membership department
volunteer Molly Stolmack was honored
with the Lola Hanzel Courageous
reception.
The Christopher Pitts and Danny Spence Group entertained celebrants during the
Advocacy Award and the San Francisco
Community Music Center Children's
Chorus delighted the audience with inter-
national songs.
Omega Boys Club Co-founder Joseph
Marshall announced the winners of the
Freedom of Expression Art Show, a con-
test organized by the ACLU-NC San
Francisco Chapter. The student entries,
which ranged from poetry about arriving in
the United States from Guatemala feeling
"as free as a flying bird," to powerful oil
and watercolor paintings, were on display
in the hotel lobby.
Bill of Rights Day Celebration photos
by Shirley Nakao
aclu news 7
january - february 1994
Maldonado Named
Field Rep
Q: What do you get when you cross a
stand-up comedy writer with a social
worker experienced in crisis intervention
and advocacy for homeless women?
A: The new ACLU-NC Field Rep!
With apologies to Groucho, the
ACLU-NC is proud to announce the hiring
of Lisa Maldonado as the new Field
Representative; Maldonado replaces
Nancy Otto who moved to Washington,
D.C. in December after three years in the
ACLU-NC post.
Maldonado is no stranger to the
ACLU-NC having served as the affili-
ate's Legal Intake/Hotline Coordinator
since 1989. In that capacity, Maldonado
coordinated the Complaint Desk, super-
vising the volunteer phone counselors
and responding to a wide range of prob-
lems from people whose civil liberties
have been violated.
"T really love working with ACLU vol-
unteers who bring so much experience and
commitment to the organization," said
Maldonado. "It's inspiring to work with
people who give so generously of their time
after they do their paid jobs, and it's fun to
work with people who have led such inter-
esting lives in pursuit of social justice."
As Field Representative, Maldonado
will work with the Field Committee and
Field Director Marcia Gallo to coordinate
the work of the 18 ACLU chapters in
Northern California. Maldonado has
already trained several chapters in Hotline
operations, including how to set up a com-
plaint line, deal with callers, and tech-
niques for active listening and crisis coun-
seling. She also helped facilitate
Affirmative Action training for the San
Francisco Chapter and has other training
sessions scheduled for the Marin, Sonoma
and Peninsula Chapters.
Maldonado's first brush with civil lib-
erties battles came when she was a student
at Sequoia High School in Redwood City
and was putting out an underground news-
paper. "We took photos of racist graffiti at
the school to show that there was a prob-
lem with racism on campus - and the
principal tried to stop us. He would rather
censor our newspaper than admit there
was a problem," Maldonado recalls.
Since the mid-1980's, Maldonado has
used her communication and advocacy
skills in the service of homeless and bat-
tered women, having worked as a crisis
line coordinator and women's advocate at
San Francisco women's shelters including
La Casa de las Madres, Rosalie House and
the Homeless Prenatal Program. With her
irreverent sense of humor, she also wrote
stand-up comedy routines for a comedian
who performed in clubs in San Francisco
and Las Vegas.
Maldonado, who is bilingual in
English and Spanish, looks forward to
Honors for Chapter
Leader, Attorney
eteran ACLU-NC activist Richard
/ Criley was honored by the Baha'i
Association of Monterey County
on December 11 with the organization's
Human Rights Award for lifetime service
to others. Criley is the Executive Director
of the Monterey County Chapter of the
ACLU-NC and was the 1989 recipient of
the Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award.
ACLU-NC staff attorney Ed Chen was
honored by the Asian American Bar
Association on November 29 at the Third
Annual Unity Reception of the Minority
Bar Coalition. The award was presented at
a reception at the World Trade Club in San
Francisco. Chen, who has been with the
ACLU-NC since 1986, is an expert on
challenges to English only laws and ordi-
nances; Chen also handles ACLU litiga-
tion on hate crimes and drug testing.
ACLU Membership Lists
The ACLU obtains the names of
potential new members by renting our
membership/subscriber lists to, or
exchanging them with, other non-profit
organizations and _ publications.
Sometimes the ACLU defrays the cost of
its new member recruitment program by
renting its lists to selected organizations.
We do not make our lists available to
partisan political groups or to groups
whose programs are incompatible with
ACLU policies.
All lists are rented or exchanged
according to strict privacy procedures
recommended by the U. S. Privacy
Study Commission. We never give one
of our lists directly to any organization.
Instead, we send the list to a mailing
house that prints labels on the
envelopes of the organization that is
participating in the rental or exchange.
Thus, that organization never sees our
lists and never knows what names are
on it unless an individual responds to
the organization's mailing.
In addition, the ACLU always hon-
ors a member's request not to make his
or her name available-we are well
aware that receiving solicitations from
many groups can be irritating. If you do
not wish to receive materials from other
organizations, write to the ACLU-NC
Membership Department, 1663 Mission
Street, #460, San Francisco 94103 CA,
and we will see to it that your name is
eliminated from lists that are rented or
exchanged.
`Sometimes members who have
received multiple invitations to join the
ACLU have written to us deploring such
wastefulness. Please understand that the
electronic scanning device we use to
eliminate multiple solicitations does sig-
nificantly reduce their number, but it is
not perfect. For example, if a member's
name appears on our list as John J.
Jones, and on a rented prospect list as J.
J. Jones, the scanner will not eliminate
that duplication. If you receive two
copies of our newsletter at your home
and/or office. please remove both
address labels and send them to us so
we can consolidate the two listings. We
don't want to waste money on duplicate
mailings any more than you want to
receive them!
We remain grateful to ACLU mem-
bers who understand that rentals and
exchanges of lists-transacted under
strict privacy guidelines-are the cor-
nerstone of our new member acquisi-
tion program, which in turn is key to the
growth that increases our civil liberties
impact and influence.
New Field Representative Lisa Maldonado (left) with her predecessor Nancy Otto.
Union Maid Photo
working with the Chapters to combat anti-
immigrant hysteria and in continuing the
Field Department's efforts to bring police
review to local communities; she also lists
as priorities language rights issues and
building a strong grassroots response to
the current anti-crime measures which
trample on civil liberties.
And how does this former stand-up
comedy writer maintain her good spirits as
she works on the difficult issues which
often grind people down? "In order not to
be defeated by the day-to-day problems of
many of the individuals I see, it really
helps to work at the ACLU. Here, you can
see the bigger picture and strive for social
change with people who bring a ene his-
tory of activism.
"And now that the political Sante isa
little better - it's energizing to work in an
organization when you're not besieged.
The momentum's in our favor, so it's a
great time to organize for civil liberties,"
Maldonado said.
Manteca Student Can
Wear `Jesus' T-Shirt
to School
hen 14-year old Jean Davis
wore a T-shirt saying "Real
Women Love Jesus" to school,
she never thought she would get in trouble
for it.
But school authorities at Brock Elliot
Elementary School in Manteca told the
` eighth-grader that she was not allowed to
wear the message- bearing shirt, and made
her turn it inside out.
Although Davis did what the principal
told her "because I didn't want to get in
trouble," her grandfather and guardian
DiMaggio Hicks decided to fight the unfair
rule. "I'm concerned about religious free-
dom," said Hicks, "This is still supposed to
be a free country."
Hicks called the ACLU ee eee
Desk and was referred to
staff attorney Matthew
Coles. "The school's deci-
sion appears to be a rather
plain violation of the law,"
said Coles, who wrote to the
Manteca Unified School
District.
"The California
Education Code gives stu-
dents the right to freedom of
expression," explained
Coles in his letter. "I have
heard two rationales for the
restriction imposed on Ms.
Davis: first, that the mes-
sage might be offensive to
some people on religious
grounds, and second, that it
might be interpreted to con-
vey a sexual meaning.
"The first rationale fits
none of the exceptions [of
the law governing freedom
of expression at school.] As
to the second, while I sup-
sexual innuendo in almost anything, there
is little doubt that Ms. Davis' shirt is not
obscene," wrote Coles.
After hearing from Jean's grandfather
and receiving the ACLU letter, the school
district lifted the temporary ban on the T-
shirt.
Attorney Coles was laudatory of
Hicks' efforts to vindicate his grand-
daughter's rights at school. "In some
respects, the most distressing aspect of
this incident is the school's apparent mis-
understanding of the basic idea of free-
dom of expression.
"The response to a message which one
finds offensive should be counter expres-
sion, not an effort to stifle the first mes-
sage," he said.
Eighth-grader Jeannie Davis and her grandfather
DiMaggio Hicks display the T-shirt that was temporari-
pose a creative mind can find ly banned at her Manteca School.
naa
8
aclu news
january - february 1994
A monthly radio program on
civil liberties
KPFA 94.1 FM
and
KECEF 88.1 FM
(Fresno)
une in on
the first
i ednesday
view Of every
4 month at
7:30 PM
"Taking Liberties" explores how the Bill of Rights
affects our everyday lives. It features interviews and
call-ins with local and national experts on criminal
justice, the death penalty, reproductive rights, immi-
gration, student rights and more.
The monthly program, hosted by ACLU-NC Public
Information Director Elaine Elinson, also features a
special section with civil liberties news updates and
information on how listeners can make their voices
heard on crucial civil liberties issues.
Field Program Monthly Meetings
Chapter Meetings
(Chapter meetings are open to all inter-
ested members. Contact the Chapter
activist listed for your area.)
B-A-R-K (Berkeley-Albany-Richmond-
Kensington) Chapter Meeting: (Usually
fourth Thursday) Volunteers needed for
the chapter hotline - call Florence
Piliavin at 510/848-5195 for further
details. For more information, time and
address of meetings, contact Julie Houk,
510/848-4752.
Earl Warren (Oakland/Alameda
County) Chapter Meeting: (Usually sec-
ond Wednesday) Meet on Wednesday,
February 9 and March 9 at 7:30 PM in the
basement of the Temescal Branch of the
Oakland Library, 5205 Telegraph Avenue;
use the rear entrance. New volunteers wel-
come! For more information, call Jim
Murphy at 510/787-1472.
Fresno Chapter Meeting: (Usually third
Wednesday) Meet on Wednesday, January
19 and February 16 1994 at 7:00 PM at
Glendale Federal Bank/Community Room,
4191 N. Blackstone at Ashland, Fresno.
New members welcome! For more infor-
mation call Nadya Coleman at 209/229-
7178 (days) or the Chapter Hotline at
209/225-3780.
Lesbian and Gay Rights Chapter
Meeting: (Usually first Thursday) Meet
on Thursday, February 3 and March 3 at
the ACLU-NC office, 1663 Mission Street,
#460, San Francisco. Mailings and other
activities start at 5:30 PM in February,
6:30 PM in March; speakers at 7:00 PM.
Business meeting starts at 7:30 PM. For
more information, contact Alissa Friedman
510/272-9700.
Marin County Chapter Meeting: (usual-
ly Third Monday) Meet Monday, January
24 and February 28, 7:30 PM,
WestAmerica Bank, 1204 Strawberry
Town and Country Village, Mill Valley.
For more information, contact Richard
Rosenberg at 415/434-2100.
Mid-Peninsula (Palo Alto area) Chapter
Meeting: (Usually fourth Thursday) Meet
Thursday, January 27 and February 24 at
7:30 PM at the California Federal Bank, El
Camino Real, Palo Alto. For more informa-
tion, contact Iris Barrie at 415/856-0193.
Monterey County Chapter Meeting:
(Usually third Tuesday) Meet Tuesday,
February 15 at the Monterey Library,
Community Room, Pacific and Madison
Streets, Monterey. The Annual Meeting is
on Saturday, January 29 from 2:00 - 4:30
PM. at the Monterey Library, address
above. Meeting will feature presentation of
awards to high school essay contest win-
ners and the Francis Heisler Award to
Michael Manlin and Walker James. For
more information, contact Richard Criley,
408/624-7562.
Mt. Diablo (Contra Costa County)
Chapter Meeting: (Usually third
Thursday) For more information, call
Hotline at 510/939-ACLU.
North Peninsula (San Mateo area)
Chapter Meeting: (Usually third
Monday) Meet on Monday, February 21,
1994 at 7:30 PM. at Planned Parenthood.
For more information, contact Audrey
Guerin at 415/574-4053.
North Valley (Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama
and Trinity Counties) For more informa-
tion write to: Tillie Smith, P.O. Box 2503,
Redding, CA. 96099.
Redwood (Humboldt County) Chapter
Meeting: (Usually third Monday) Meet
Monday, February 21 at 7:15 PM at the
Plaza Grill, Arcata. For more information
contact Christina Huskey at 707/444-6595.
Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting:
(Usually second Wednesday) Meet on .
Wednesday, February 9 and March 9, at
6:00 PM at Shakey's Pizza, 59th and J
Streets, Sacramento. For more informa-
tion, contact Ruth Ordas, 916/488-9956.
San Francisco Chapter Meeting:
(Usually third Tuesday) Meet on Tuesday,
February 15 at 6:45 PM at the ACLU
Office, 1663 Mission, 460, San Francisco.
For more information, call the Chapter
Information Line at 415/979-6699.
Santa Clara Valley Chapter Meeting:
(Usually first Tuesday) Meet on Tuesday,
February 1 and March 1, at the
Community Bank Building, 3rd Floor
Conference Room, corner of Market/St.
John Streets, San Jose. Contact Larry
Jensen at 408/244-4570, for further infor-
mation.
Santa Cruz County Chapter Meeting:
(Usually third Thursday) Meet on
Tuesday, February 17, 1994. Molly Ivins,
author, journalist and liberal commentator
will speak at a fundraiser for the Santa
Cruz Chapter on Saturday, March 5 at 7:30
PM at the First Congregational Church,
900 High Street, Santa Cruz. Her talk is
entitled How to Have Fun While
Fighting for Freedom. There will be a
booksigning event for her most recent
book Nothing But Good Times Ahead.
Tickets are $17.50 (includes Santa Cruz
city tax). Tickets are available at Bookshop
Santa Cruz and at the Women's Law and
Mediation Center, 104 Walnut Street, Suite
203, Santa Cruz. They can also be pur-
chased by mail. Please mail your checks
with a stamped self-addressed envelope to
ACLU, Box 66604, Scotts Valley, CA,
95067-6604.
Sonoma County Chapter Meeting:
(Usually third Wednesday) Meet on
Wednesday February 16, 1994 at 7:30 PM
at the Peace and Justice Center, 540 Pacific
Avenue, Santa Rosa. Call Steve Thornton
at 707/544-8115 for further information.
Annual Dinner is on Friday, January 28,
at the Sebastopol Veterans Memorial
Building, 282 High Street, Sebastopol. No-
Host Bar at 5:30 PM, Dinner at 7:00 PM.
Advance paid reservation $15.00 before
January 20 and $20.00 after. Low income
$10.00, children 16 or under $5.00.
Vegetarian, low income and free childcare
available only with advance paid reserva-
tion. Keynote speaker will be Larry
Bensky, National Affairs Correspondent
with Pacifica Radio. He will speak on
National Security and Civil Liberties in
the Clinton Years. Hispanic community
organizer Christina Briano will receive
the Jack Green Civil Liberties Award. For
advanced paid reservation, send a check
or money order to: P.O. Box 14181, Santa
Rosa, CA. 95402., or call Steve Thorton,
number above.
Yolo County Chapter Meeting: (Usually
third Thursday) Meet on Thursday,
January 20 and February 17. For more
information, call Natalie Wormeli at
916/756-1900 or the Chapter Hotline at
916/756-ACLU.
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
on Saturday, March 12 from 10:30 AM
to 12:30 PM. Following the meeting,
there will be a speaker training on Youth
and the Police. Contact Marcia Gallo at
ACLU-NC 415/621-2493, for more
information.
Student Advisors Planning meetings for
the next SAY WHAT!?!3 Student
Conference will be on Saturday,
February 12 and March 12, at 2:00 PM.
Contact Marcia Gallo at ACLU-NC
415/621-2493 for more information.