AWARE-LA
Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere – Los Angeles
Gerson Gets it Wrong on Contraception
01 day ago
Earlier this week, Michael Gerson’s disregard for the health of women and their families appeared once again on the pages of the Washington Post.
The affront? The administration’s announcement that all new health insurance plans — except those held by churches and other houses of worship — will need to include coverage for birth control because it’s essential preventive health care for women.
Gerson’s pronouncement? If the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ lobby doesn’t get everything it asks for, there must be a “war” on religion.
Institutions like hospitals and universities employ people of diverse faiths and backgrounds. This rule respects religious liberty while preventing religiously affiliated organizations from using religion as an excuse to discriminate and deny services to others. Organizations that operate in the public sphere should play by public rules. That’s not a “war” on religion; that’s the Constitution.
Here’s what really happened late last month when the administration announced it would keep its new rule on contraception intact: Millions more women will now be guaranteed that, when they have health insurance, it will include the coverage they need — to prevent unintended pregnancies, to protect their health and to plan their lives.
Here’s what Gerson got wrong:
- Nothing changed with respect to abortion coverage. Contraception prevents pregnancy. End of story. By making contraception better available, the rule reduces the need for abortion. But why should silly facts get in the way of polemics when there are uteruses to be policed!
- No one will be compelled to use birth control, or to sing its praises. Practicing birth control will continue to be a personal decision; one that a woman makes in accordance with her own beliefs or faith. But no longer will women be compelled to go without this basic care — which is what the lack of insurance coverage means for so many families.
- The administration would not have escaped “controversy” if it created loopholes for a long list of institutions that employ people of diverse faiths and backgrounds. Gerson and his friends might have been appeased, but the countless women who depend on their insurance coverage for access to health care — and all the men, women, and families who support fair treatment — would have been appalled by a decision to put politics ahead of women’s health.
But here’s the one thing he got right: This decision does have broader implications than ensuring women have access to the health care they need.
By standing with the employees at religiously affiliated institutions, the Obama administration sent a clear message that religion is not an excuse to discriminate. That may be a blow for the bishops’ political agenda, but it’s a victory for those of us who promote equality and true religious freedom side by side.
Learn more about birth control: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Gerson Gets it Wrong on Contraception
01 day ago
Earlier this week, Michael Gerson’s disregard for the health of women and their families appeared once again on the pages of the Washington Post.
The affront? The administration’s announcement that all new health insurance plans — except those held by churches and other houses of worship — will need to include coverage for birth control because it’s essential preventive health care for women.
Gerson’s pronouncement? If the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ lobby doesn’t get everything it asks for, there must be a “war” on religion.
Institutions like hospitals and universities employ people of diverse faiths and backgrounds. This rule respects religious liberty while preventing religiously affiliated organizations from using religion as an excuse to discriminate and deny services to others. Organizations that operate in the public sphere should play by public rules. That’s not a “war” on religion; that’s the Constitution.
Here’s what really happened late last month when the administration announced it would keep its new rule on contraception intact: Millions more women will now be guaranteed that, when they have health insurance, it will include the coverage they need — to prevent unintended pregnancies, to protect their health and to plan their lives.
Here’s what Gerson got wrong:
- Nothing changed with respect to abortion coverage. Contraception prevents pregnancy. End of story. By making contraception better available, the rule reduces the need for abortion. But why should silly facts get in the way of polemics when there are uteruses to be policed!
- No one will be compelled to use birth control, or to sing its praises. Practicing birth control will continue to be a personal decision; one that a woman makes in accordance with her own beliefs or faith. But no longer will women be compelled to go without this basic care — which is what the lack of insurance coverage means for so many families.
- The administration would not have escaped “controversy” if it created loopholes for a long list of institutions that employ people of diverse faiths and backgrounds. Gerson and his friends might have been appeased, but the countless women who depend on their insurance coverage for access to health care — and all the men, women, and families who support fair treatment — would have been appalled by a decision to put politics ahead of women’s health.
But here’s the one thing he got right: This decision does have broader implications than ensuring women have access to the health care they need.
By standing with the employees at religiously affiliated institutions, the Obama administration sent a clear message that religion is not an excuse to discriminate. That may be a blow for the bishops’ political agenda, but it’s a victory for those of us who promote equality and true religious freedom side by side.
Learn more about birth control: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Civil Liberties in the Digital Age: Weekly Highlights (2/3/2012)
01 day ago
In the digital age that we live in today, we are constantly exposing our personal information online. From using cell phones and GPS devices to online shopping and sending e-mail, the things we do and say online leave behind ever-growing trails of personal information. The ACLU believes that Americans shouldn’t have to choose between using new technology and keeping control of your private information. Each week, we feature some of the most interesting news related to technology and civil liberties that we’ve spotted from the previous week.
Post-IPO, Facebook will have to make privacy investigations public [ars technica]
“But disclosure rules affecting publicly traded companies may force Facebook to reveal privacy-related investigations that it otherwise might have kept secret.”
See also: Facebook IPO: Privacy Laws a ‘Risk Factor’
Facebook Files IPO: What It Means For You
What Actually Changed in Google’s Privacy Policy [EFF]
“Unfortunately, while the policy might be easier to understand, Google did a less impressive job of publicly explaining what in the policy had actually been changed.”
See also: Google: Here’s the real truth about Microsoft’s privacy claims about us
Malcolm Harris’ ‘@destructuremal’ Twitter Posts Subpoenaed By New York Court [Huffington Post]
“Prosecutors have subpoenaed the Twitter records of an Occupy Wall Street protester who was arrested in October during a mass protest on the Brooklyn Bridge.”
Microsoft Slams Google Privacy Changes [Information Week]
“Microsoft wasted little time launching an effort to cash in on concerns about Google’s controversial new privacy policies, under which the search giant said it would monitor user activity across all of its major Web services — including YouTube, Gmail, and its namesake search engine.”
Learn more about dotRights: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Civil Liberties in the Digital Age: Weekly Highlights (2/3/2012)
01 day ago
In the digital age that we live in today, we are constantly exposing our personal information online. From using cell phones and GPS devices to online shopping and sending e-mail, the things we do and say online leave behind ever-growing trails of personal information. The ACLU believes that Americans shouldn’t have to choose between using new technology and keeping control of your private information. Each week, we feature some of the most interesting news related to technology and civil liberties that we’ve spotted from the previous week.
Post-IPO, Facebook will have to make privacy investigations public [ars technica]
“But disclosure rules affecting publicly traded companies may force Facebook to reveal privacy-related investigations that it otherwise might have kept secret.”
See also: Facebook IPO: Privacy Laws a ‘Risk Factor’
Facebook Files IPO: What It Means For You
What Actually Changed in Google’s Privacy Policy [EFF]
“Unfortunately, while the policy might be easier to understand, Google did a less impressive job of publicly explaining what in the policy had actually been changed.”
See also: Google: Here’s the real truth about Microsoft’s privacy claims about us
Malcolm Harris’ ‘@destructuremal’ Twitter Posts Subpoenaed By New York Court [Huffington Post]
“Prosecutors have subpoenaed the Twitter records of an Occupy Wall Street protester who was arrested in October during a mass protest on the Brooklyn Bridge.”
Microsoft Slams Google Privacy Changes [Information Week]
“Microsoft wasted little time launching an effort to cash in on concerns about Google’s controversial new privacy policies, under which the search giant said it would monitor user activity across all of its major Web services — including YouTube, Gmail, and its namesake search engine.”
Learn more about dotRights: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Breaking the Addiction to Incarceration: Weekly Highlights
01 day ago
Today, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. With over 2.3 million men and women living behind bars, our imprisonment rate is the highest it’s ever been in U.S. history. And yet, our criminal justice system has failed on every count: public safety, fairness and cost-effectiveness. Across the country, the criminal justice reform conversation is heating up. Each week, we feature our some of the most exciting and relevant news in overincarceration discourse that we’ve spotted from the previous week. Check back weekly for our top picks.
The State of Sentencing in 2011: Developments in Policy and Practice
The Sentencing Project recently released its report of state-level criminal justice reforms passed in 2011. A summary of 55 reforms passed in 29 states, the report documents the newest state laws in a growing national trend to reduce our dependence on incarceration. Examples include: Florida’s expansion of drug court eligibility, Texas’s introduction of "earned time credits" — opportunities for prisoners to reduce their sentence by completing educational, therapeutic, or vocational training — and Louisiana’s alternative penalties for technical parole violations, such as missing a meeting with a parole officer.
GOP Seeks Big Changes In Federal Prison Sentences
More than 20 years ago, the U.S. Sentencing Commission created guidelines for federal sentencing. A Supreme Court decision in 2005 made those guidelines advisory rather than mandatory. That allows federal judges to exercise more discretion in sentencing. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) is calling for more consistency in federal sentencing, and some Republicans want more mandatory sentencing.
California’s Youth Prisons Nearing an End
Last month, California Governor Jerry Brown announced his plan to shut down all state youth prisons by 2014. If backed by the Legislature, Governor Brown’s proposal would require counties to develop prudent local alternatives to state custodial facilities. The proposal has met significant opposition from stakeholders, such as youth advocates and district attorneys, who have raised concerns that the counties do not have the programs and resources to manage the current juvenile prisoner population. This San Francisco Chronicle article outlines some of the steps California will have to take to make this transition feasible.
Florida Prison Closings Are a Legacy of Wrong Guess
Last month, Florida Governor Rick Scott decided to close seven of Florida’s 62 prisons because they’re simply not needed. Why? Twenty years ago, lawmakers forecasted a crime increase that never materialized, and commissioned the construction of prisons that they now don’t need.
Texas Officials Seeking Room for Mentally Ill Inmates
Texas officials are scrambling to find beds in state mental hospitals for 400 mentally incompetent local jail inmates in anticipation of a judge’s ruling that jail isn’t the right place for the mentally incompetent. For the last two years, incompetent detainees have had to wait an average of six months for a bed to open up so that a doctor could evaluate them and determine whether and how they could be restored to a stable state for trial. In a letter written last week, Austin Judge Orlinda Naranjo stated that a wait that long for a spot at a state mental hospital violates the constitutional rights of inmates who have been found incompetent to stand trial.
Learn more about overincarceration: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Breaking the Addiction to Incarceration: Weekly Highlights
01 day ago
Today, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. With over 2.3 million men and women living behind bars, our imprisonment rate is the highest it’s ever been in U.S. history. And yet, our criminal justice system has failed on every count: public safety, fairness and cost-effectiveness. Across the country, the criminal justice reform conversation is heating up. Each week, we feature our some of the most exciting and relevant news in overincarceration discourse that we’ve spotted from the previous week. Check back weekly for our top picks.
The State of Sentencing in 2011: Developments in Policy and Practice
The Sentencing Project recently released its report of state-level criminal justice reforms passed in 2011. A summary of 55 reforms passed in 29 states, the report documents the newest state laws in a growing national trend to reduce our dependence on incarceration. Examples include: Florida’s expansion of drug court eligibility, Texas’s introduction of "earned time credits" — opportunities for prisoners to reduce their sentence by completing educational, therapeutic, or vocational training — and Louisiana’s alternative penalties for technical parole violations, such as missing a meeting with a parole officer.
GOP Seeks Big Changes In Federal Prison Sentences
More than 20 years ago, the U.S. Sentencing Commission created guidelines for federal sentencing. A Supreme Court decision in 2005 made those guidelines advisory rather than mandatory. That allows federal judges to exercise more discretion in sentencing. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) is calling for more consistency in federal sentencing, and some Republicans want more mandatory sentencing.
California’s Youth Prisons Nearing an End
Last month, California Governor Jerry Brown announced his plan to shut down all state youth prisons by 2014. If backed by the Legislature, Governor Brown’s proposal would require counties to develop prudent local alternatives to state custodial facilities. The proposal has met significant opposition from stakeholders, such as youth advocates and district attorneys, who have raised concerns that the counties do not have the programs and resources to manage the current juvenile prisoner population. This San Francisco Chronicle article outlines some of the steps California will have to take to make this transition feasible.
Florida Prison Closings Are a Legacy of Wrong Guess
Last month, Florida Governor Rick Scott decided to close seven of Florida’s 62 prisons because they’re simply not needed. Why? Twenty years ago, lawmakers forecasted a crime increase that never materialized, and commissioned the construction of prisons that they now don’t need.
Texas Officials Seeking Room for Mentally Ill Inmates
Texas officials are scrambling to find beds in state mental hospitals for 400 mentally incompetent local jail inmates in anticipation of a judge’s ruling that jail isn’t the right place for the mentally incompetent. For the last two years, incompetent detainees have had to wait an average of six months for a bed to open up so that a doctor could evaluate them and determine whether and how they could be restored to a stable state for trial. In a letter written last week, Austin Judge Orlinda Naranjo stated that a wait that long for a spot at a state mental hospital violates the constitutional rights of inmates who have been found incompetent to stand trial.
Learn more about overincarceration: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
PBS’ "Perpetuating Stigma" Highlights HIV Criminalization
01 day ago
Earlier this week, PBS aired the documentary Perpetuating Stigma about the ongoing criminalization of women with HIV. Through the stories of several women impacted by HIV criminalization — the use of criminal law to target people diagnosed with HIV for prosecutions and imprisonment — the documentary movingly illustrates how such laws dehumanize and stigmatize women living with HIV. But because of the opposition of the Alabama Department of Corrections, the producers of “Perpetuating Stigma” never got to tell the story of Dana Harley.
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Please note that by playing this clip You Tube and Google will place a long-term cookie on your computer. Please see You Tube’s privacy statement on their website and Google’s privacy statement on theirs to learn more. To view the ACLU’s privacy statement, click here.
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Dana Harley is a prisoner in the segregated unit for women with HIV at the Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, Alabama. When women first arrive at Tutwiler, they are tested for HIV. If a woman’s test results come back positive, she is placed in solitary confinement — sometimes for weeks — and eventually transferred to permanent housing in a segregated unit reserved for prisoners with HIV. Until she is released from Tutwiler, she will never again be housed with prisoners who do not have HIV. This HIV segregation policy, which has remained in place since the mid-1980s, stigmatizes people like Dana and denies them the same access to programs available to other prisoners. Along with South Carolina, Alabama is one of only two states left in the nation that still maintain such HIV segregation policies. Dana is one of nine people with HIV who, with the assistance of the ACLU, are challenging this discriminatory policy. The producers of Perpetuating Stigma attempted to interview Dana about her story, but the Commissioner of Corrections refused to permit the PBS producers to visit her, citing “ongoing litigation.” Even if the Commissioner will not allow Dana to speak for herself, the ACLU will continue to fight for her rights against unfair discrimination.
Learn more about HIV/AIDS: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
PBS’ "Perpetuating Stigma" Highlights HIV Criminalization
01 day ago
Earlier this week, PBS aired the documentary Perpetuating Stigma about the ongoing criminalization of women with HIV. Through the stories of several women impacted by HIV criminalization — the use of criminal law to target people diagnosed with HIV for prosecutions and imprisonment — the documentary movingly illustrates how such laws dehumanize and stigmatize women living with HIV. But because of the opposition of the Alabama Department of Corrections, the producers of “Perpetuating Stigma” never got to tell the story of Dana Harley.
|
Please note that by playing this clip You Tube and Google will place a long-term cookie on your computer. Please see You Tube’s privacy statement on their website and Google’s privacy statement on theirs to learn more. To view the ACLU’s privacy statement, click here.
|
Dana Harley is a prisoner in the segregated unit for women with HIV at the Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, Alabama. When women first arrive at Tutwiler, they are tested for HIV. If a woman’s test results come back positive, she is placed in solitary confinement — sometimes for weeks — and eventually transferred to permanent housing in a segregated unit reserved for prisoners with HIV. Until she is released from Tutwiler, she will never again be housed with prisoners who do not have HIV. This HIV segregation policy, which has remained in place since the mid-1980s, stigmatizes people like Dana and denies them the same access to programs available to other prisoners. Along with South Carolina, Alabama is one of only two states left in the nation that still maintain such HIV segregation policies. Dana is one of nine people with HIV who, with the assistance of the ACLU, are challenging this discriminatory policy. The producers of Perpetuating Stigma attempted to interview Dana about her story, but the Commissioner of Corrections refused to permit the PBS producers to visit her, citing “ongoing litigation.” Even if the Commissioner will not allow Dana to speak for herself, the ACLU will continue to fight for her rights against unfair discrimination.
Learn more about HIV/AIDS: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Pay Attention! Ethnic Studies #WishiLearnedinHS Curriculum Hits Twitter
01 day ago
FAAN Mail, a media literacy/media activism project formed by women of color, have created the hashtag #WishiLearnedinHS to call attention to the Ethnic Studies ban in Arizona.
FAAN Mail explains why they started the hashtag:
This hash-tag has been created in response to the Ethnic Studies ban in Arizona. It is designed to bring attention to the cultural gaps in our education; the gaps that widen as governments and school districts privilege some histories, while silencing other cultures and points of view. Over the next 5 days, beginning February 1, we ask that you Tweet, Facebook, or blog what you wished you learned in high school, in response to the below question: What do you wish you learned in high school as it relates to various cultural identities, histories, and perspectives?
Strong U.S. Job Growth Leads to Lowest Black Unemployment in Years
01 day ago
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 243,000 in January, and the unemployment rate decreased to 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS )reported Friday.
The number of unemployed persons declined to 12.8 million in January. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (7.7 percent) and blacks (13.6 percent) declined in January. The unemployment rates for adult women (7.7 percent), teenagers (23.2 percent), whites (7.4 percent), and Latinos (10.5 percent) were little changed.
Black unemployment saw the biggest drop — from 15.8 to 13.6 percent. And for the first time in a long time, those numbers aren’t being fudged (much) by people who have dropped out of the workforce. Unemployment overall is at 8.3 percent now, and the BLS says that workforce participation is holding steady.
“These numbers are important because one, we now have the lowest unemployment rate in nearly three years. It’s also one of the biggest drops in black unemployment–nearly two points–that the BLS has recorded in years,” said Shani O. Hilton, Colorlines.com’s D.C. Correspondent.
“What makes this particularly heartening, though, is that unlike other points in the decline, the decline isn’t happening because Americans are giving up looking for work. The BLS reports that workforce participation is holding steady,” Hilton went on to say.