Open forum, vol. 67, no. 10 (September-October, 1991)

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Stand Differs From National ACLU Position

ACLU of Southern California Votes

To Oppose Clarence Thomas

By J.R. Hicks

At a special joint session of its two

boards of directors, the American Civil

Liberties Union of Southern California

voted overwhelmingly to oppose the

nomination of Clarence Thomas to

America's Highest Court. The vote on

August 29 by the Southern California

boards followed a controversial vote by

the National Board of the ACLU which

assumed a neutral stand on Thomas'

nomination to the U.S. Supreme |

Court. The Southern California branch

is the largest ACLU affiliate in the na-

tion. |

Since the local organization's vote,

several other ACLU affiliates around

the country have also taken a position

in opposition to President Bush's Su-

preme Court nominee. ACLU affiliates

in Northern California, Georgia, Ver-

mont, and New York have all voted to

oppose Thomas and strike a different

course from the National's position.

The vote by the ACLU Foundation

board was unanimous.and the ACLU.

board voted 38-2 to oppose the ad-.

ministration's choice for the Court.

"Our boards felt overwhelmingly

that Clarence Thomas would not ex-

Ramona Ripston, Executive Director of the ACLU/SC (seated at microphones) dis-

cusses the local affiliate's gute on Clarence Thomas at a news conference held

in August.

tend civil liberties and civil rights pro-

tections of the Supreme Court to the

people who need it.most,' said Ramo-

na Ripston, Executive Director of the

ACLU of Southern California. "Unlike

some within the National ACLU, we

felt that we could not stay neutral on

Suit Aims To Protect Worker's Rights

Latino Migrant Workers Charge Harassment, ACLU

Sues City of Agoura Hills

by Linda Burstyn

"I have four kids to support,' ex-

plained Nicholas, a 24-year-old day la-

borer from Guatemala on a recent

Saturday morning after being chased

away from a potential employer by a

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy

in Agoura Hills. "Now I just lost my

job for today. I don't know what to do.

NO SOMOS

NADRONES

Qi sREMOS

I have to keep on coming here because

I have to find some way to pay my

bills."

In Agoura Hills, the conflict be-

tween day laborers and the communi-

ties in which they work is reaching a

boiling point. On June Ist, the Agoura

Hills City Council passed ordinances

prohibiting any person from standing

on a public street or in a private shop-

this issue."

Although the National ACLU vot-

ed for.neutrality onthe Thomas nomi-_.

nation, not a single member of the or-

ganization's National Board thought

Thomas was a good candidate for the

High Court's bench, but many ex-

ping center lot with the intent to so-

licit employment. Instead of soliciting

on the street, the ordinance provides

for a telephone employment service

which, according to the laborers, is not

effective in getting workers together

with employers.

The American Civil Liberties Union

Foundation of Southern California,

along with MALDEF, Public Counsel,

Legal Aid Foundation of L.A., the Na-

tional Immigration Law Center and

CARECEN, has filed a lawsuit in Los

Angeles Superior Court asking that

the Agoura Hills ordinances be

declared unconstitutional. The lawsuit

also asks that the enforcement prac-

tices of Sheriff's deputies there be cur-

tailed.

Since the new ordinance has been

in effect, the day laborers say the dep-

uties have harassed them indiscrimi-

nately: while eating lunch, buying

groceries or simply walking down the

street. According to some of the men

on the site, a few days after the ordi-

nance went into effect, police round-

ed up over thirty of them and dropped

them off at an INS detention area.

Some of the day laborers were later

deported. Most were released when it

was discovered that they had the right

to be in this country.

"Latinos, or those who appear to be

The American Civil Liberties Union of Sedelnahl Or Th fel aay te | September/October AD

pressed concern that to take a position

on Thomas and other Supreme Court

nominees would threaten organiza-

tional integrity. The organization has

gone on record only twice in opposi-

tion to Supreme Court nominees. In

1971 the ACLU opposed William Re-

hnquist and again in 1987 joined the

battle against Robert Bork.

The debate at the National Board

meeting was framed by Board Policy

#519, a restrictive policy about

nominees for judicial office, which

says that the ACLU should "urge the

Senate to reject any nominee whose

philosophy, if implemented, would

fundamentally jeopardize the Su-

preme Court's critical and unique role

in protecting civil liberties'" However,

the Board fell short of a required 60

percent vote by one vote, and declined

to take a oe on Thomas' nomi-

nation.

When viewing the available record

on Judge Thomas, the majority of civ-

il libertarians say that the Thomas

nomination is part and parcel of an un-

relenting campaign to nominate Su-

preme Court Justices who would ad-

versely alter the ability of the federal

continued on page 6

Latino have been arrested, criminally

prosecuted, harassed, assaulted, hu-

miliated or ordered to leave the city by

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Deputies

while waiting for buses, eating at a lo-

cal fast-food restaurant, or patronizing

other businesses," according to the law

suit which was filed in mid-Septem-

ber. "Very recently a Sheriff's Deputy

uttered foul, racist epithets at one res-

taurant patron, shoved his face in his

continued on page 4

Vol. 67 No. 10

ees

}

`Ny

Belafonte, Olivares, Others To Be

Honored at Annual ACLU Dinner

by Phyllis Silverberg

On December 6th, the ACLU of South-

ern California celebrates the 200th An-

niversary of the ratification of the Bill

of Rights, at its annual Bill of Rights

Dinner.

Harry Belafonte and Father Luis

Olivares will receive special tributes.

Awards will be presented as well to

Councilmember Michael Woo, former

Police Commissioners Melanie Lomax

and Samuel Williams, and the Los An-

geles Daily News.

Harry Belafonte receives the Bill of

Will Ambassador, only the second

American to ever hold that position.

He took children from war-torn coun-

tries around the world on a speaking

tour.

Belafonte was an organizer of the

"We Are the World" project and the

creation of USA for Africa. He was in-

volved in Hands Across America, the

unique coast-to-coast effort to raise

funds for the hungry and the home-

less.

Last year, he was awarded the Nel-

son Mandela Courage Award by Trans-

Africa. This year, the ACLU is pleased

to add to Harry Belafonte's ever-

Harry Belafonte

Rights Award for his lifelong commit-

ment to the struggle to improve the

human condition worldwide. From

the:days when he marched alongside

Martin Luther King, Jr., to the present

as Chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr.

Memorial Fund, Belafonte has never

stopped fighting for civil rights, hu-

man rights, freedom and justice for all.

In spite of an international singing

career (as well as stage and screen act-

ing) that has kept him on the go, Be-

lafonte has always made time for his

activism. He was appointed by John F.

Kennedy to be cultural advisor to the

Peace Corps. He was UNICEF's Good

Father Luis Olivares

P ACLU of Southern California

growing collection of accolades, the

1991 Bill of Rights Award.

Father Luis Olivares receives the Ea-

son Monroe Courageous Advocate

Michael Woo

Award. The award is named in honor

of a past Executive Director of the

Southern California ACLU, who re-

fused to sign a loyalty oath and was

forced to give up his career as a Uni-

versity professor. He went on to direct

this affiliate for almost 25 years.

Father Olivares and `courageous ad-

vocate' are synonymous. Active in the

church his entire life - he began semi-

nary at age 13 and became a corporate

Church official by the age of 33 - his

OPEN FORUM

Newsletter of

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California

ACLU Officers: Gary Mandinach,

President; Nancy Greenstein, First

Vice President; Antonio Villaraigosa,

Second Vice President; Angela Weim-

er, Third Vice President; Michael Lin-

field, Fourth Vice President; Trisha

Murakawa, Secretary/Treasurer; Lloyd

M. Smith, Assistant Secretary-Ireasur-

er; R. Samuel Paz, National Board

Representative

ACLU Foundation Chair: Danny Gold-

berg

Executive Director: Ramona Ripston

life changed when he met United Farm

Workers' founder Cesar Chavez in 1967

and joined the fight for justice for

farmworkers.

Olivares brought his new-founded

quest for justice, dignity and equality

to his primarily Latino parish in East

Los Angeles and began organizing

within his community for better living

conditions, opening the Church to

those in need, offering English class-

es, job placement skills, and food and

shelter for the homeless. __

Melanie Lomax

As the number of Central American

refugees attending Our Lady Queen of

Angels (La Placita) increased, Father

Olivares became deeply involved in

the struggle for immigrants' rights. In

1985, against the wishes of the Church

leadership and the government, Oli-

vares announced that La Placita would

be a sanctuary for Central American

refugees.

The program - as well as demon-

strations against U.S. policy in Central

America organized by Olivares and his

supporters continued in spite of pres-

sure, threats, and even jail. It ended

when the Church told Father Olivares

they were transferring him to Fort

Worth, Texas.

Father Olivares didn't end up in Tex-

as. He ended up with AIDS, caught

from a hypodermic needle in Central

America. Near death last year for a

month, he recovered and added AIDS-

awareness to. his agenda of causes. In

a recent interview with the LA Weekly,

Olivares said he prefers not to talk

much about his health these days,

choosing instead "to concentrate on

doing as much as I can with the time

I have left." A courageous advocate, in-

deed.

Our other honorees that evening

OPEN FORUM Editor: Rita Pyrillis

OPEN FORUM Editorial Director: Joe

R. Hicks

OPEN FORUM (ISSN 0030-3429) is pub-

lished bimonthly, at 1616 Beverly Blvd.,

Los Angeles, CA 90026. Telephone (213)

977-9500. Membership is $20 and up, of

which $2 is the annual subscription fee

for OPEN FORUM. Entered as second

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under the act of March 3, 1879. Post-

master: send address changes to the

OPEN FORUM, 1616 Beverly Blvd., Los

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Samuel Williams

have been selected because of their

critical involvement in the Police De-

partment reform campaign, after the

March 3rd beating of Rodney King by

police officers. Councilmember

Michael Woo and former Police Com-

missioners Melanie Lomax and

Samuel Williams never waivered in

their duty to ensure that the crisis was

dealt with quickly and appropriately.

The Los Angeles Daily News and its

reporting staff are being recognized be-

cause of the impressive body of in-

depth articles and extensive coverage

given to this on-going situation.

The Bicentennial Bill of Rights Din-

ner is being held at the Bonaventure

Hotel in Los Angeles on Friday, De-

cember 6th. Tickets are $80 for Donors

and $150 for Patrons. For more infor-

mation or to reserve space, please call

213-977-9500, extension 252. wi

CORRECTION

In the Last issue of Open Forum the ar-

ticle on Sands v. Morongo Unified School

District failed to mention that Jean Ber-

tolette was also a complainant in that

lawsuit. We sincerely apologize to Mr.

Bertolette.

NOTE:

An article on the Dusty Pruitt legal vic-

tory in the last issue of Open Forum

failed to mention that Mary New-

combe was co-counsel in the recent

monumental win which allowed

Pruitt, a lesbian, to press forward with

her lawsuit against the United States

Army. When the case was filed, New-

combe was an attorney with the law

firm Hedges and Caldwell that donated

her time to work on the case. She is

now a staff attorney with the LAMB-

DA Legal Defense and Education

Fund's West Coast office in Los An-

geles. (R)

Thomas Carter

Emmy Award Winner Joins

ACLU Foundation Board

Thomas Carter, Emmy award-winning

producer and director of the television

series "Equal Justice;" joins the Amer-

ican Civil Liberties Union of Southern

California as its newest Foundation

board member.

"I've always given money to the

ACLU, so I've been a supporter for

some time,' Carter said. "I'm glad to

become a more active participant be-

cause the ACLU is one of the few or-

ganizations that has stood up for so

many years to protect the constitution-

al rights of those who need protection

the most."

The 36-year-old actor turned direc-

tor and then producer moved to Los

Angeles 15 years ago from Texas where

he attended Southwest Texas State

University as a drama major. After an

acting stint on several television shows,

he became involved in television

production and went on to direct nine

pilots, including "A Year in the Life,'

"Miami Vice," "Midnight Caller,' and

"St. Elsewhere." Each went on to be-

come a highly successful television se-

ries.

Thomas also directed "Under the

Influence," a CBS television movie that

won the 1987 Scott Newman Founda-

tion Drug Abuse Prevention Award.

This year, the second in a row, Carter

received an Emmy for Best Director of

a Drama Series for episodes of "Equal

Justice."

As a youngster growing up in

Smithville, Texas, Carter said that the

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sid-

ney Poitier were two of his biggest

heroes. But he was also influenced by

Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman, two

actors he admired greatly.

"T mean, I didn't grow up thinking

`Boy, I want to be a black actor?" he ex-

plained. "I thought `I want to be an ac-

tele.

Still eager for new challenges, Cart-

er is turning to the big screen with two

new projects currently in the works.

"Swing Kids," which takes place in

Germany during World War 2 and

"Red Tails' another World War 2 sto-

ry that profiles the heroic Tuskegee

Airmen, the all African-American

fighter pilots. it

ACLU Endorses California

Death With Dignity Act

by Rita Pyrillis

The American Civil Liberties Union

has joined N.OW., the Westside Grey

Panthers and several other groups in

endorsing the California Death with

Dignity Act.

The ACLU Executive Committee

voted unanimously to support the pro-

posal at its Sept. 10 meeting.

If passed, this law would give a

competent, terminally ill person con-

trol over the dying process by allow-

ing them to ask for their doctor's help

in dying.

Representatives from Californians

Against Human Suffering, which is

backing the initiative, said they hope

to collect 600,000 signatures by the end

of February in order to get it on the

Nov. 1992 ballot.

According to a 1990 National Roper

Poll, 64 percent felt that a doctor

Should be legally allowed to end the

life of a terminally ill patient in great

pain if the person requests it. In a

statewide Gallup Poll, 75 percent of

residents questioned felt that there are

certain circumstances under which ter-

minally ill adults should be allowed to

end their lives.

"We are very optimistic that we will

get all the signatures needed," said

Jack Nicholl, spokesman for Califor-

nians Againist Human Suffering. "The

support we've been getting is astound-

ing. We expected a lot of opposition

from religious and conservative

groups, but the people of California

have apparently thought about this is-

sue and decided to support us.'

Nicholl said he expects many other

groups, particular AIDS and gay les-

bian organizations to follow the

ACLU's lead and lend their endorse-

ment. ; a

Harry Belafonte

Bill of Rights Award

FOR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

"OPEN FORUM"

Save The Date!

The Bicentennial

Bill of Rights Dinner

Honoring:

and, for their contributions to the

Police Department reform campaign:

Melanie Lomax and Sam Williams

former Police Commissioners

Councilmember Michael Woo - Daily News Reporters

Friday, December 6, 1991

Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles

Tickets: $80 and $150

For more information or to order tickets call:

(213) 977-9500, ext. 252

Father Luis Olivares

Courageous Advocate Award

Ramona Ripston

ACLU Questions

San Fernando

Park Ordinance

Recently, the San Fernando City Coun-

cil passed an ordinance which makes

it illegal for a person who is a mem-

ber of a gang to enter a popular city

park. We do not doubt the good inten-

tions of the City Council in adopting

such an ordinance. Violence in the

park has made it unsafe for the many

families and children who used to en-

joy going there. However, the Coun-

cil's solution is both misguided and

unconstitutional. Even worse, the en-

dorsement of the Council's unconstitu-

tional action by ambitious politicians

and the press has encouraged other

municipalities to consider adopting

similar ordinances. Before they do so,

we must carefully and calmly examine

the practical and constitutional impli-

cations. Respecting constitutional

rights is not always easy. The quick fix

approach to crime has a surface appeal

to all of us. But when glib and easy so-

lutions violate the Bill of Rights, we

must resist them - uncomfortable or

unpopular as that may be.

There can be no doubt that we need

to make all our parks safer for every-

one. However, we can do that without

sacrificing basic constitutional rights.

If there is a serious problem in a par-

ticular park, police officers should be

assigned to patrol that park during all

the hours it is open to the public. The

presence of the police will do far more

to deter criminal activity than the pas-

sage of any ordinance. The investment

of our scarce police resources will be

well worth the cost. Putting a sufficient

number of uniformed officers in Las

Palmas Park is certainly a reasonable

and necessary first step to alleviating

the City of San Fernando's problem.

In our constitutional system one

principle has always been paramount.

The end does not justify the use of un-

constitutional means. In this case, San

Fernando wants to address the prob-

lem of gang activity in the parks by

banning individuals who belong to a

so-called criminal street gang. Howev-

er, no mechanism exists for determin-

ing what constitutes gang member-

ship. Nor is there any procedure for

deciding whether a particular group

constitutes a criminal street gang. Will

police merely exclude people who look

as if they belong to a gang? Under our

Constitution we judge individuals by

their individual actions - not by their

association with any group - and cer-

tainly not by their association with a

group that is itself not illegal. There is

a fundamental lack of due process and

orderly procedures inherent in the San

Fernando ordinance. Preventive exclu-

sion, like preventive detention, smacks

of a police state.

The action of the San Fernando City

Council will have no real deterrent ef-

fect. At best, the ordinance may suc-

ceed in exporting San Fernando's gang

problem to another park or another

city for a temporary period. But even

that is unlikely. Anybody violating the

ordinance is guilty of an infraction

(similar to a traffic ticket) and is sub-

ject to a $250 fine. Such a penalty will

hardly scare off anyone desiring to en-

gage in serious criminal conduct.

We are all familiar with occasions on

which the desire for security has led

us to disregard our Constitution. In

the name of national security, the ex-

clusion of Japanese Americans in

World War II was supported by Frank-

lin D. Roosevelt and Earl Warren. Un-

der the guise of solving crime and

keeping society safe, police beatings

and other abuses have, from time to

time, been publicly countenanced. We

have even been willing to impose

wholly improper and unwarranted

limitations on free speech when false

prophets, such as A. Mitchell Palmer

and J. Edgar Hoover, credit "national

emergency." The impulse to achieve

continued on page 6

; Oa 2

Above, Toma speaks with TV camera

crews at the Agoura Hills demonstra-

tion.

Harassment

continued from page 1

food, and then used excessive force

while arresting him. The atmosphere

is such that any Latino-appearing per-

son who walks or stands in the City

of Agoura Hills now faces the very real

danger or arrest or worse; even when

such person is engaged in activity

which has nothing to do the solicita-

tion of employment."

"The Sheriff's Department wants to

make it as uncomfortable as they pos-

sibly can for these men to look for

work in Agoura Hills," explained Rob-

in Toma, Staff Attorney for the ACLU

Foundation of Southern California.

Apparently, deputies are not only tar-

geting workers, but are also harassing

their potential employers. One man is

being criminally prosecuted for hiring

two men to help him move his moth-

er's belongings, Toma said. Another is

being prosecuted for asking the work-

ers if they would like to rummage

through old clothes he had stored in

his garage.

On October 1

by Linda Burstyn

Crosby, Stills, and Nash will help the

American Civil Liberties Union Foun-

dation of Southern California celebrate

the 200th anniversary of the Bill of

Rights with a private performance at

the organization's annual Torch of Lib-

erty Awards Gala. Torch of Liberty

awards will be given to two honorees

this year: John Singleton, writer and

director of "Boyz N The Hood," and

music industry media consultant and

anti-censorship activist Jeff Pollack.

The award will be given to the two

men in recognition of their respective

work in furthering debate about im-

portant issues in American society.

At a time when the music industry

has come under attack by censorship

advocates who want to see record

labelling and a more puritanical art

form emerge, Pollack has been a cru-

sader for freedom of expression in mu-

sic and on the radio. From his battles

against the FCC's indecency fines to

record labelling and self-regulation for

the radio industry, Pollack's activism

grows out of his belief that: "An attack

unchallenged is an attack agreed to."

Likewise, John Singleton's story

Star-Studded Awards Gala

"The Sheriff's Depart-

ment wants to make it

as uncomfortable as

they possibly can for

these men ..."

Robin Toma, ACLU

Staff Attorney

"We're not saying that the City can't

enforce traffic laws or public health

laws. But they can't have a law which

makes it illegal to simply look for

work. Our society prides itself on

providing equal economic opportuni-

ty. But because these men look differ-

ent and they speak a different lan-

guage, some politicians and business

owners think they have no rights."

On most mornings, 20-50 day

laborers gather near an Agoura Hills

outdoor shopping center, hoping to be

hired for a day's work. The men -

most of them originally from the war-

torn countries of Guatemala and El

Salvador - come to the site from their

residences as far away as Los Angeles,

Van Nuys and Simi Valley. They say

the long trip from home is worth it be-

cause the Agoura Hills site tends to at-

tract employers who will pay the work-

ers a good wage compared to the wage

paid at some other spots.

"People are selling drugs in L.A.

and getting away with it," said Carlos,

one of the day laborers trying to avoid

the watchful eyes of the Sheriff's dep-

uties. "We're here trying to get honest

work and they are harassing us." #

about the community in which he was

raised examines the destructive forces

of poverty and racism and presents an

uncompromising look at the limited

choices confronting most African-

Americans today. By exposing au-

diences to these truths,. Singleton

leads us to a deeper understanding of

the urgent need for racial equality and

equal justice in order to bring about

meaningful change.

Award-winning musician Don Hen-

ley will present the Torch of Liberty

Award to Pollack and Congressmem-

ber Maxine Waters will present the

award to Singleton. Dinner Chairper-

sons include: Irving Azoff, Tom

Freston, Thomas Carter, David Geffen,

Danny Goldberg, Jerry Moss, and

Norm Pattiz. A partial list of dinner co-

chairs includes: Candice Bergen, Alan

Marilyn Bergman, Suzanne de

Passe. The ACLU has fought to protect

free expression throughout its 70 year

history. Recent instances of censorship

- such as record labelling, book ban-

ning and threats to NEA funding -

are all being challenged by the ACLU.

Proceeds from the $250/ticket dinner

will be used to further the ACLU's de-

fense of free speech and other endan-

gered liberties. is

_and killed by deputies.

| Supervisor Gloria Molina and by

SMUT EIN

"Law Enforceme

by Rita Pyrillis

In an `apparent effort b to pacify critics -

of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's

Department who are calling for an in-

dependent investigation of the depart-

ment, Sheriff Sherman Block has ap-

pointed a citizens panel to advise him

ttle to silence critics `who. a :

med by the number of recent fatal

shootings by deputies and fed up with -

_ the department's history of verbal and

_ physical abuse of minorities. Since

Aug. 3, four unarmed -people, two

blacks and two Latinos, have been shot

Those shootings have prompted a

Los Angeles County Grand Jury inves-

tigation and an FBI probe of civil rights

violations. The 8,000 member depart-

ment has also come under fire as a re-

_ sult of a wide-spread money skimming

scandal and allegations of abuse of

department.

Block has consistently maintained -

that an independent commission is

not needed to investigate his -

member department and earlier t

month released a 70-page report p:

pared by his staff on how Christopt

Commission reforms could be appli A

to the sheriffs departmen

"There have been small ergs who

have shown themselves to be corrur

Block said at the Sept. 10 hearing.

_ have had individuals who hav

themselves to be overly ageres

_ But we as an organization ha

very active in os out t

But according to press reports, cent |

the" 220 deputy involved s gs

_ since 1985 none has resulted i |

| nal prosecution and no ad hast

ever been discip' i

repo SO

commission have been criticized by

others who feel that neither can suffi-

ciently address the problems within

the sheriffs department.

_ "A committee appointed by Sheriff

Block is not what we had in mind

when we called for an independent

commission to eS the depart-

Sheriffs as Brutal as LAPD?.

by J.R. Hicks

A rash of recent shooting deaths by

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies

has caused the city to undergo yet an-

other police crisis, even while issues

posed by the videotaped beating of

Rodney King by Los Angeles Police of-

ficers remain unsettled. All of the kill-

ings by officers of the Sheriff's Depart-

ment involve highly questionable cir-

cumstances, and the victims have been

African-American or Latino causing

_ Speculation at racism and cultural

- Los Angeles She

Block Forms Questionable Panel :

on how to implement Christopher _

`Commission reforms.

But this last minute. maneuver,

| which surprised : audience members a f

county jail prisoners and harassment -

of minorities by racist gangs within the

ment,' said Ramona Ripston, executiy

director of the ACLU. "Only a truly in.

dependent commission comprised of

_ citizens, community leaders and

_ representatives from organizations that _

have long been concerned about law

enforcement, can make meaningful

recommendations that will fend to re-

800 people packed the County B Bond

of Supervisors meeting room to hear

testimony or to speak before the board.

_ The unprecedented hearing was

called by Supervisor Molina, the only

outspoken critic of the department on

the board. The majority of the super-

visors support Block and have resist-

ed the creation of an independent

commission. :

Several appointees t to Sheriff Block's 4

21-member hbo commission were -

1B |

`pattment and the Latino commut

_At the Ramona Gardens hearing

Sen. Art Torres also called for an in-

dependent investigation of the depart-

ment and said he will consider draft-

ing legislation to change the citizen

complaint process so that supervisors

can easily spot deputies with patterns

of abuse.

Hamilton, Arturo "Smokey" jiminey

David Angel Ortiz, Steve Clemons,

and Daryl Stephens have all died af-

ter separate encounters with Sheriff's

deputies. Jiminez was shot three times

in the chest by deputies on August 3

in a disputed encounter with officers.

in the Gardens Housing Project, an

area that is under the jurisdiction of

Housing Authority police and the

LAPD.

Ortiz, a a 15-year old Montebello boy

was reportedly shot in the back of the

neck on August 28 after a high-spee@

car chase in Artesia. Stephens

gunned down in his apartment by

Sheriff's SWAT team who were

continued on ies

LS patinued fan page 4

legedly looking for another man they

ries of shopping mall abductions and

murders in the San Gabriel Valley.

Stephens was unarmed and apparent-

ly had no connection with those

back according to the county coroner's

report, after a confrontation at his par-

ents Ladera Heights home. The 33-year

old mentally disturbed man also

suffered numerous mouth, head and

other injuries believed to be caused by

He had also been

eriff's batons.

fasered by deputies. Sheriff Sherman

Block said in a televised interview that oie

if the shooting `was appropriate, " it

didn't matter if he was shot in the front

"After Clemons was shot and killed :

on sn August 2nd in a Willowbrook park,

_an angry, shouting crowd of about 200

_ people gathered and disputed the ver-

sion of the killing by deputies who

_ said the man pointed a gun at them.

_ Eyewitnesses claim that Clemons was

unarmed and ran from the deputies in

fear that he would be cited for drink-

_ing just prior to the depaney arri 1

_in the park.

ions that racist gangs are Ope

ao names like "Vikings" and '

1' and making use of street gang |

_ tattoos and monikers, it has

groups have attacked community

members in Ramona Gardens and

In Lynwood, members of the Vik |

ings reportedly drove a sergeant out of _

the station, harassing him with threats

and attaching dead animals to his car. _

| Department officials have |

repeatedly denied the existence of the

eriff's

gangs or have insisted that me are

simply "social" clubs.

rogue gangs within the Sheriff's De-

_ partment have sparked demands from

black and Latino community residents,

_ dials for investigations into the polices,

procedures and practices of the De-

partment.

However, since 1985 - excluding

_ the recent series of killings -the Los

_ Angeles County Sheriff's have shot at

_ least 56 individuals under questiona-

ble circumstances. Eighty seven per-

_ cent of those people were minorities.

_ Despite this, the Sheriff's Department

has, until recently, escaped any spin-

_ Off from the Rodney King incident.

And, although much of recent fo-

_ Cus of attention has revolved around

Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates

and his 8,300-person force, and most

-Tecently the Sheriff's Department,

many additional shocking examples of

police brutality have occurred outside

of the LAPD's and County Sheriff's

domain.

_ bar was arrested outside a party at a

_ South Laguna Beach House. A neigh-

_borhood resident videotaped a Lagu-

na Beach police officer kicking Dunbar

* Torrance police officers were cap-

_chokehold and beating 20-year old

_ believed was involved in the recent se- _

_ he lost consciousness.

Long Beach police officer shoving for-

c __ Jackson's face through a plate glass

~~ Hamilton was shot nine times in the

__ charged that the Hawthorne pa at:

have followed the activities. a the

_ LAPD and the L.A. County Sheriff's

_and Sheriff's Department often use -

ing beer in public. The object deputies _

claimed was a weapon may have been |

_LAPD shootings peaked in the 1970s,

| _ that is responsible for the majority of

_ Framing these killings are alle -

ings averaere approximately 30 per

: Discounting the latest Series of

were unarmed, 46 percent died, and

_ not one of the 56 people fired a shot

at a deputy, or anyone else. In 31 of the

The recent killings and rumors of

ings are these examples:

as well as L.A. City and County offi-

. threatening deputies with a knife in-

* In 1990, a 25-year old Kevin Dun- _

_ as he lay handcuffed on the ground.

tured by a camera in 1988 applying a

Thomas Tice. The young man was hit

at least eight times with batons until

* An NBC camera ew captured cent a

mer Hawthorne police officer Don

window after the officers had stopped _

Jackson's car for no apparent reason.

cent The ACLU Foundation of South-

ern California sued the City of Haw-

thorne on behalf of 70 plaintiffs who

tacked them a 3

inn in 1983, The polled

i were ae for a

contend that these two large and

powerful police agencies set the tone

for smaller police departments in and

around the Los Angeles area. Addi-

tionally, they charge that the LAPD

unnecessary violence to resolve dis-

putes in ee onty and poor neighbor-

hoods. |

It has also been alleged that, since

it has been the Sheriff's s Department

police shootings, averaging 37 people

shot annually by that department. In |

1987, Sheriff's deputies shot 43 people,

the highest figure of the 5-year period

since 1985. From 1974 through 1977, at

the height of the LAPD's shooting

rampage against citizens, LAPD kill-

year.

shootings by Sheriff's deputies, of the -

56 people shot since 1985, 55 percent

56 cases, the victims were not holding -

weapons, although Sheriff's "believed"

that the people had some type of

weapon in their possession. Most of

the victims were not involved in any

violent activity when confronted by.

deputies. : -

Among the 56 questionable shoot- :

e The fatal shooting of a 50-year old

female transient in Antelope Valley.

The woman was shot 18 times, after

side a restaurant.

e The fatal shooting of a 58-year old

man, killed while asleep in his bed

when a Sheriff's SWAT team riddled

him with automatic weapons fire.

e The fatal shooting of an un-

armed, nearly blind man shot more

than 30 times by deputies as he stood

in the middle of a Lynwood street.

e The fatal shooting of an innocent

black man stopped in Hawthorne by

deputies for a robbery that had been

committed by an individual described

as a Latino. He was shot dead as he lay

spread eagled on the ground.

e The wounding of a 17-year old

black youth as he sat in his car listen-

ing to music. The Sheriff's deputy said -

that he thought the youth was reach-

ing for a weapon when he reached for

another cassette under his car's seat.

Out of a total of 202 reported inci-

dents reported within the past five and -

one half years, the District Attorney's

Office filed not one criminal charge

oo continued on -

R. Samuel Paz

Sam Paz: On the Front Lines

by Rebecca Shehee

Taking on institutions like the LAPD

or the LA County Sheriff's Depart-

ment is no new territory for R. Samuel

Paz. He-has been at the forefront of

litigating difficult police brutality cases

since he graduated with a law degree

from the University of Southern Cali-

fornia in 1974.

As a boy growing up in Lincoln

Heights, Paz had no idea he wanted to

be an attorney. "About the only thing

I could think that I wanted to do when

I grew up was race motorcycles," Paz

said. He was one of just a few Latinos

in a white middle class school, and

was channeled toward shop classes

rather than academic or college prep

classes.

Soon after high school Paz joined

the Navy where he received electron-

ic skills training. After completing his

tenure in the Navy, Paz returned to Los

Angeles and earned an Associated

Arts degree in engineering from Los

Angeles City College.

It was during his first position as an

electronics technician that Paz took a

hard look at issues which were affect-

ing the Latino community. As a shop

steward for the United Auto Workers

Union, Paz traveled to Delano in sup-

port of the United Farm Workers. He

was devastated to see first hand the

suffering and deplorable working con-

dition that the farm workers lived with

ever day.

Paz continued his studies at Cal

State Dominguez Hills and then at

UCLA where he became the first edi-

tor of the campus Chicano newspaper

"La Gente." He graduated in 1971 cum

laude with a degree in psychology. It

was in his second year at USC law

school that Paz realized he wanted to

practice in the area of civil rights.

After graduating from law school in

1974, Paz formed a law firm with four

of his classmates. They specialized in

cases involving police abuse, worker's

rights and the rights of gay activists.

As.a 15 year member of the ACLU

Board of Directors and three-time

board President, Paz 48, now serves on

the legal committee and has participat-

ed as a cooperating attorney in a num-

ber of ACLU cases.

"The ACLU changed a lot while I

was president and has also changed

since then," Paz said. "I can't take cred-

it for those changes," Paz explained,

"But the main difference is that be-

cause we are financially more stable,

we are able to take on larger and more

extensive cases."

In 1967-80, Paz worked closely with

~ OPEN mee

legal director Paul Hoffman on the

landmark Myerson vs. The City of Los

Angeles. This was the first police spy-

ing suit where a significant court

award was obtained for non-injury

damages.

"Mr. Meyerson had gone through

about 8 or 10 lawyers before I talked

to him," Paz said. "The other attorneys

were reluctant to take the case because

police spying cases were practically im-

possible to win." Ramona Ripston,

ACLU executive director, talked to Paz

about the case, and they decided to do

the case together. "This was the first

case where an individual won substan-

tial damages solely on the basis of

emotional distress."

In 1986, Paz litigated what was at

that time the largest wrongful death

judgement in history against the Los

Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

In Plasencia vs. The County of Los An-

geles, Paz obtained an award of 1.4 mil-

lion. "This was a tough case because

the plaintiff was an immigrant family

and the father, the man who was

killed, was an undocumented: im-

migrant.

"This case involved an intentional

shooting by a couple of deputy

sheriffs," Paz said. "They fabricated

evidence that Plasencia was pointing

a gun at them, and we proved he was

shot. through a closed door.'

This year, in the matter of Al-

tamirano v. City of Los Angeles, Paz won

a record $8.75 million for a grounds

keeper for the Los Angeles Memorial

Coliseum. Altamirano had been mis-

takenly shot by the LAPD was left a

paraplegic.

Paz is currently litigating a case in

which a North Hollywood man was

blinded in one eye during a scuffle

with the LAPD. Paz contends that the

LAPD intentionally hit Gonzalez with

a baton jab to the eye which was so

forceful that it ruptured the interior left

eye. x

Meet Larry Harmon, the ACLU's new eve-

ning Custodian/Security Guard.

Next Supreme Court Term:

Danger for Civil Liberties

by Erwin Cherminsky

Justice William Brennan's former law

clerks describe how he would ask

them what is the most important rule

of constitutional law. Inevitably, some

would guess the power of judicial re-

view, while others might suggest sepa-

ration of powers. Brennan would re-

spond by holding up one hand and

wiggling his five fingers. He would ex-

plain that the key to remember is that

it takes five votes to get a majority on

the Supreme Court.

During the last ten years, Justices

O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, Souter

and (most likely as of this writing)

Thomas have joined the Supreme

Court. Together with chief Justice Re-

hnquist and Justice White, this adds

"up to seven conservative Justices. It is

simply very hard to imagine finding

five votes to protect civil liberties or civ-

il rights except in the most unusual

and egregious cases.

When the new Supreme Court term

begins on the first Monday in October,

~ the Court will have on its docket sever-

al important and controversial issues.

Additionally, at that time, the Court .

will begin to schedule other cases to

be decided before it adjourns next July.

In light of the Court's recent directions

and its solid, very conservative majori-

ty, this could be a year of substantial

harm to civil liberties and civil rights.

Significant cases in four areas - free-

dom of religion, freedom of speech,

school segregation, and abortion rights

- are already on the Court's docket.

Erwin Cherminsky

Freedom of Religion

Lee V. Weisman could be the occasion

for a major change in the law concern-

ing the first Amendment's prohibition

of government establishing religion.

Lee poses the question as to whether

it is unconstitutional for a clergy mem-

ber to deliver a benediction or invoca-

tion at a high school graduation

ceremony. The United States court of

Appeals for the First Circuit held that

such a benediction, invoking a deity,

has the effect of advancing religion and

thus violates the Establishment

Clause.

The ACLU long has objected to

such graduation prayers as breaching

the wall between church and state. For

example, recently the California Su-

preme Court ruled in favor of the

Southern California ACLU and

declared that such prayers violate the

state and federal constitutions.

Lee not only will resolve this impor-

tant question, but also, it might por-

tend broader changes in the law. Two

years ago, four Justices - Kennedy,

Rehnquist, White, and Scalia - called

for a major reformulation of the Estab-

lishment Clause law. They contended

that the government literally establish-

es a church or coerces religious partic-

ipation. If this position attracts one

more vote, perhaps from recent addi-

tions Souter or Thomas, virtually

nothing will ever violate the Establish-

ment Clause.

Freedom of Speech

There also are important cases on

the Court's docket concerning freedom

of speech. R.A.V. vs St. Paul, Minneso-

ta might be the first modern occasion

for the Supreme court to confront the

difficult issue of hate speech. The case

involves a challenge to a municipal or-

dinance prohibiting, on private or pub-_

lic property, the display of symbols"

such as the Nazi swastika or the burn-

ing of a cross in a manner likely to_

arouse "anger, alarm, or resentment.'

However, the Supreme court might

decide the case on relatively narrow

and technical grounds. The Minneso-

ta Supreme Court upheld the ordi-

nance by interpreting it to apply only

`in instances where there is incitement

or fighting words that are unprotect-

ed by the First Amendment. The issue

to be decided thus may not be the con-

stitution's protection for hate speech,

but rather the extent to which state

courts can give narrowing construc-

tions to state and local laws.

Another free speech case this term

will involve the constitutionality of so-

called "son of Sam" laws. In Simon and

Schuster, Inc. vs Members of New York

State Crime Victims Board the Supreme

Court will consider whether it is per-

missible for states to prohibit crime

perpetrators from obtaining any funds

from selling the book, magazine, or

film rights to their stories. The New

York law being challenged requires all

proceeds to be placed in an escrow ac-

count maintained by the state crime

victims board for the benefit of crime

victims. The plaintiffs also contend

that the law deters the creation and

publication of speech and thus violates

the First Amendment.

School Segregation

In addition to first Amendment is-

sues, the Supreme court will decide a

major case - United States vs Mabus -

concerning a state's duty to eliminate

school segregation. Mabus involves the

duty of the State of Mississippi to elim-

inate segregation in its higher educa-

tion system. Mississippi long main-

tained separate universities for blacks

and whites. Although it now has abol-

ished discriminatory practices, the

universities remain largely segregated.

The plaintiffs contend that the require-

ment for admission to state universi-

ties remain largely segregated. The

plaintiffs contend that the requirement

for admission to state universities of

minimum scores on standardized tests

is discriminatory and also that segre-

gation is perpetuated by the state's

labeling of the universities as compre-

hensive, regional or urban. The Unit-

ed States court of Appeals for the Fifth

Circuit held that Mississippi has no

additional duty to eliminate segrega-

tion. Although Mabus involves higher

education, the Supreme Court's deci-

sion might have implications for

desegregation of elementary and high

schools.

Abortion Rights

As of now, there is not a case on the

Supreme Court's docket directly pos-

ing the question of whether Roe vs

Wade should be overruled. There are,

however, pending lower court cases

challenging Guam, Louisiana, Penn-

sylvania, and Utah laws that range

from very restrictive regulations to

bans of almost all abortions. One of

these cases might make it to the Su-

preme Court this year.

Already on the docket is a case con-

cerning the ability to use federal civil

rights laws against anti-abortion pro-

testors who block access to abortion fa-

cilities. In Bray vs Alexandria Women's

Health Clinic the Supreme Court will

decide exactly the question that attract-

ed a great deal of attention this sum-

mer in Kansas as a result of an Opera-

tion Rescue protest: does the federal

law preventing conspiracies to obstruct

civil rights apply to anti-abortion pro-

tests blockading access to clinics?

A statute adopted after the Civil

War, 42 United States code section

1985(3) forbids conspiracies depriving

any person or class of persons of equal

protection or equal privileges and im-

munities guaranteed by law. In Bray,

as in the Kansas case, the federal dis-

trict court concluded that the inten-

tional obstruction of access to abortion

clinics by Operation Rescue is a dis-

criminatory conspiracy directed

against women and also violates the

right to travel of women seeking an

abortion. Other federal district courts,

including in Los Angeles, have ruled

to the contrary. The supreme Court's

decision in Bray will resolve an ex-

tremely important issue concerning

the rights of women against groups

like Operation Rescue and also, more

generally, the scope of this crucial civ-

il rights law.

Civil Liberties in Peril.

These, of course, are just a few of

the approximately 150 cases to be

decided by the Supreme Court this

term. For more than half century,

Justices like William Douglas, William

Brennan and Thurgood Marshall have

been on the Court to serve at least as

the nation's conscience on civil rights

and civil liberties issues. No longer is

there such a passionate voice across

the range of constitutional issues to

come before the Court. Indeed, the

prospect is that again this term, the su-

preme Court will substantially weak-

en the protections for civil rights and

civil liberties. i

Thomas

continued from page 1

judiciary to play a role in enforcing

constitutional guarantees and protect-

ing the civil rights of racial minorities

and women. They argue that tradition-

al methods for determining profes-

sional qualifications for Supreme

Court appointments have been cast

aside in favor of selection criteria

whose principle purpose is to further

a right-wing political agenda - an

agenda that includes the end of effec-

tive civil rights and civil liberties en-

forcement. |

Around the country, the debate

over Clarence Thomas has been vigor-

ous. In the aftermath of the National's

neutral stance on Thomas, ACLU staff

from around the country have signed

a statement affirming their belief that

the Thomas nomination is a threat to

civil liberties.

In part, the statement says, "We are

members of the ACLU staff who are in-

volved in fighting for civil liberties and

civil rights on a daily basis, and who

are deeply concerned about the pros-

pect of Judge Thomas joining the Su-

preme Court of the United States. Our

review of Judge Thomas' record indi-

cates that he has made a number of .

written and spoken statements that

raise serious and substantial questions

about his judicial philosophy . . . We

believe that his record clearly demon-

strates that he will pose a threat to the

`Supreme Court's critical and unique

role in protecting civil liberties' and

that moreover, we believe that the

ACLU policy should permit opposition

to this nomination ... Because it

would have been singularly appropri-

ate for the ACLU - a highly visible

and influential national organization -

to become a part of the Thomas de-

bate, our absence is conspicuous and

regrettable."

The staff of the ACLU of Southern

California unanimously signed the

statement.

As we go to press with this issue of

Open Forum, the confirmation hearings

before the Senate Judiciary Committee

are winding down with no indication

that Clarence Thomas will not be con-

firmed as the next U.S. Supreme Court

Justice. bs

Ripston ...

continued from page 3

greater security is one we all under-

stand; however, the solutions are

sometimes wrong-headed.

At times, our Constitution may

seem insensitive to the will of the

majority. At other times, it may be in-

convenient to follow its dictates. But

the Bill of Rights has secured for us the

type of free society only Americans are

privileged to enjoy. Still, our liberties

are fragile - and can be lost if we do

not guard them carefully. This is the

200th anniversary of the Bill of Rights.

We would all do well to renew our

commitment to that magnificent in-

strument.

Individuals concerned over the Clarence Thomas nomination to the U.S. Supreme

Court gathered at the Asylum restaurant to sign post cards showing their opposi-

tion. Over 3,000 post cards were sent to legislators.

rs ACLU of Southern California

casiameaia oe

------e-

ACLU Joins Fight Against

Riverside AIDS Ordinance

Opponents of a proposed municipal

initiative that would have repealed

Riverside, CA`s existing AIDS discrimi-

nation ordinance and prevented the

City from taking any action or expend-

ing any funds that would "promote,

encourage, endorse, legitimize or justi-

fy homosexuality,' won a major victo-

ry when the Superior Court of River-

side County refused to force the City

to place the initiative on the Novem-

ber ballot. Intervening on the side of

the City were lead counsel Lambda Le-

gal Defense and Education Fund and

co-counsel ACLU Foundation of

Southern California, who jointly rep-

resented the Riverside Coalition

Against Discrimination ("RCAD") and

individual plaintiffs Dr. Francis Carney

and June E. Foreman.

The initiative had been circulated in ~

Riverside churches by "Riverside

Citizens for Responsible Behavior,' a

group believed to be associated with

- the rabidly homophobic Traditional

Values Coalition, headed by Lou Shel-

don. The group garnered more than

15,000 signatures in a hate campaign

that targeted Riverside's lesbian and

gay residents. Greg Bredbeck, a

spokesperson for the opposing RCAD,

called the initiative, "a clear example

of hatred being foisted upon our com-

munity by spiteful agitators. Riverside

has a history of fostering harmony

among its residents and now a small

fringe group from outside our commu-

nity is trying to disrupt that."

After the initiative qualified for the

ballot, Lambda Staff Attorney Mary

Newcombe, with the assistance of

Cooperating Attorney Michael Colan-

tuono, submitted a letter advising the

City not to place the initiative on the

ballot because it was legally invalid.

The City agreed, and, following a heat-

ed debate with supporters of the ini-

tiative, refused to place the measure on

the ballot. The proponents then

sought an order from the court to force

the City to place the measure on the

ballot.

Joined by Lambda Cooperating At-

torney Daniel K. Slaughter of Heller,

Ehrman, White and McAuliffe, and co-

counsel Jon Davidson of the ACLU

Foundation of Southern California,

Lambda intervened in the proceeding

on behalf of RCAD, the chief opponent

of the measure, to defend the City's ac-

tion. As Slaughter observed, "The pro-

posed initiative was clearly invalid on

a number of constitutional and statu-

tory grounds, and it violated the City's

Charter by divesting the City Council

of its designated authority. The City

acted correctly in refusing to place the

measure on the ballot. A forced vote

on such a patently invalid measure

would be a betrayal of the democratic

process."

Judge Charles Field of the Riverside

County Superior Court agreed, and on

August 19th he issued an 11-page opin-

ion upholding the City's action. New-

combe praised the decision saying,

"Judge Field not only recognized that

the proposed initiative violated the

Riverside City Charter, he also recog-

nized the discriminatory intent of the

initiative toward the City's gay and les-

bian residents and those who are fight-

ing HIV disease. This decision bodes

well for our future challenges against

right-wing legislation across the coun-

try." Anti-gay legislation similar to the

Riverside initiative is pending in the

States of California and Colorado and

the City of Concord, CA.

In his decision refusing to force

Riverside to place the measure on the

ballot, Judge Field stated, "the pro-

posed ordinance is designed to permit

and encourage private discrimination

against homosexuals and persons with

AIDS ... The invectives directed to-

wards the homosexual community

and persons with AIDS make this pur-

pose unmistakably clear ... The equal

protection guarantees of the 14th

Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

and Article 1, Section 7, of the Califor-

nia Constitution safeguard any group .

whose rights to equal protection are

being violated."

The proponents of the initiative

have since filed a petition appealing

the Superior Court's decision to the

Fourth District Court of Appeals. New-

combe stated that she expected a

prompt denial of the petition. "Judge

Field's forceful rejection of the initia-

tive signifies that legislation targeting

lesbians and gay men for discrimina-

tion will be rejected in other courts; it

also sends a powerful message to these

hate groups that their continued as-

saults against the gay community will

not be tolerated by the courts."

Brutal ...

continued from page 5

against a single deputy. Out of the 202

shootings, 56 involved questionable

circumstances, and in those cases it

was determined that there were no

criminal violations by deputies in 48 of

those cases. The remaining eight are

pending investigations. According to

Sheriff Block, the deputies involved in

the recent Keith Hamilton shooting

have been placed on leave, pending

the outcome of an internal investiga-

tion. The status of deputies involved

in the Jiminez, Ortiz, Clemons and

Stephens killings has not been deter-

mined by Open Forum.

Sheriff Sherman Block maintains

that his deputies use restraint in using

their weapons and says that the rising

tide of crime and violence in some

communities is at the root of the shoot-

ings. However, R. Samuel Paz, ACLU

Board member and a member of the

Hispanic Advisory Council to Los An-

geles Police Commissioners, argues

that the number of shootings by

Sheriffs deputies, ". . . clearly rises

out of the notion [that] officers are

more willing to disrespect the rights of

blacks and Latinos than they are of

white people." i

Ramona Ripston:

A Commentary

On March 3rd, we were all taught a

lesson on the realities of our time and

the importance of media and public

education in effecting change.

The residents of Los Angeles, along

with most of the world, watched in

disbelief and horror as television sta-

tion after television station played and

replayed the videotape of Rodney King

being savagely beaten by L.A. police

officers. As details of the case became

available, the horror grew. Could it be

true that this was simply the escalation

of a traffic incident? Could it be true

that more than twenty police officers

stood by and watched? Is it possible

that once the crime was brought to the

. attention of Police Chief Daryl Gates,

he could react by stating that the vid-

eo did not necessarily indicate actual

wrongdoing on the part of his officers?

The ACLU has been litigating police

misconduct cases and advocating a

major shake-up of the police depart-

ment for more than the twenty years

I have been here. But it only took 2 yen%

minutes of videotape to finally crystal-

lize for the public the point that we

had been making all those years. In 21

minutes of videotape the public got the

picture that there was rampant mis-

conduct, a lack of responsible leader-

ship and no corrective apparatus in

place in the LAPD.

The ACLU has enjoyed tremendous

victories in the courts over the past 30

years; however we must face the un-

pleasant reality that gains achieved

through litigation are likely to come

our way with less and less frequency.

Over ten years of Reagan and Bush ju-

dicial appointments has made the

once civil liberties-friendly federal

courts a place of hostility and conser-

vative agenda-making. And we could

hardly view the Deukmejian dominat-

ed state court system, from the State

Supreme Court on down, with more

optimism.

For the past 30 years litigation has

been the method through which we

have expanded liberties. However,

with the current prevailing judicial

philosophy we must rely more and

In collections

Open forum: 1991

Details

Title: Open forum, vol. 67, no. 10 (September-October, 1991)
Creator: American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California
Date: 1991 September-October
Identifier: ACLUS_1651
General notes(s): From bound edition 21
Genre: Newspapers
Physical description: 8 pages, 44 x 28 cm
Publisher: Los Angeles(Calif.): American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California
Preferred citation: Open forum, vol. 67, no. 10 (September-October, 1991); Open forum, newsletter of the ACLU of Southern California, PER ACLUS; California Historical Society.
Rights statement: In Copyright
Publication rights: Gift of The ACLU Foundation of Southern California, 2022. Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, was not transferred to the California Historical Society (CHS). Permission for reproduction or publication of materials in this collection beyond that allowed by fair use must be secured from the copyright holder.
Topical subject(s): Civil rights
Civil liberties
Geographical subject(s): Los Angeles (Calif.)
Collection identifier: PER ACLUS