News & Commentary

Medical care shouldn't be hazardous to your health. Yet that's exactly what it is for the majority of lesbians and gay men. Studies have consistently shown that as with people of color and other minority groups gay men and lesbians are frequently discriminated against in healthcare.

The ACLU of Southern California strongly favors the establishment by municipalities of independent civilian review boards fully empowered to investigate, conduct hearings, subpoena witnesses and report their findings and recommendations on misconduct complaints made by people against law enforcement personnel.

The ACLU of Southern California today filed suit in United States District Court, alleging that this week's grant of $2,500 by San Luis Obispo County to the Mission College Catholic Preparatory High School violates the Establishment Clause of the United States constitution and Article IX and Article XVI of the California constitution, which prohibit government funding of sectarian schools and institutions.

"The ACLU has reviewed the Order of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals staying all appeals in the Proposition 187 litigation, and referring the appeals for mediation. We continue to believe that Governor Davis has both the authority and obligation to dismiss the appeal given his frank public acknowledgment that Proposition 187 is unconstitutional.

Today the ACLU of Southern California announced a a statewide campaign to publicize its . Driving While Black or Brown. hotline, 1-877-DWB-STOP (1-877-392-7867) and urged support for SB 78, legislation that would track race-based stops by California's law enforcement officers. (The Spanish language hotline is 1-877-PARALOS, 1-877-272-2567.)

The ACLU believes that the Governor has both the constitutional authority and the constitutional obligation to dismiss the appeal in the Proposition 187 litigation. Gov. Davis has been quoted, as recently as yesterday in the Los Angeles Times, as stating that he believes Proposition 187 is unconstitutional. The Governor's oath to uphold our federal constitution accordingly requires that he cease to attempt to enforce all laws, including Proposition 187, which he believes to be unconstitutional.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California today announced it will represent Asia Yu, the organizer of the 1999 B-Boy Summit.' Despite the fact that Ms. Yu and her organization, Eternal Two Creations, held the appropriate permits for the February 28 dance performance and exhibition held at Venice Beach, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is charging her with inciting a riot.' The ACLU contends that it was the actions of the LAPD, and not those of the B-Boy Summit organizers, which caused the confusion along Venice Beach and the Boardwalk.

On Friday, February 26, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Department of Recreation & Parks' "Raise The Bar" program for girls' equity in the City's sports and recreation programs.

Washington, DC -- The Supreme Court today ruled that immigrants have no right to object to being targeted for deportation based on their association with a political group. In an astounding decision that reached an issue neither party had even briefed, the Court effectively denied to all immigrants in this country the same First Amendment rights that U.S. citizens enjoy.