ACLU Citizens United v. FEC

MEETING NOTICE: BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MARIN CHAPTER, ACLU

Monthly Meeting: Monday, November 15, 2010, 7:00 pm.

*** Note Location ***

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Directions: From US 101, from north, exit East Blithedale exit,
head west on East Blithdale to Camino Alto (3rd light after freeway), turn L
(south). Go to Miller Avenue (end of Camino Alto, at Tam High), make a U
turn and enter The Redwoods parking lot. (Alternatively, you can park in the
Safeway parking lot, and there is a pedestrian-activated street light from
there to The Redwoods).

From US 101, from the south, exit at Manzanita/Mill Valley/State Route 1, go
under the bridge and follow Shoreline Highway around toward Mill Valley
(road becomes Almonte Blvd. and then Miller Avenue near Tamalpais High
School). Turn R at Camino Alto and enter The Redwoods parking lot (or park
in the Safeway lot across from the Redwoods).

When you walk into the main lobby at The Redwoods, turn right and go through
the library. Turn left toward the auditorium, then turn right at the
auditorium and go to the end of the corridor. The Conference Room is on the
right.
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TENTATIVE AGENDA:
1. Call to order
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of minutes of prev. meeting (attached)
4. Treasurer’s report
5. Chair’s Report
6. Non Agenda Items and Announcements
7. Old Business
-- holiday party
8. New Business
-- "Citizens United v. FEC", what to do
9. ACLU-NC Report

10. Committee reports
-Death Penalty
-Education
-Law Enforcement
-Nomination Committee and Annual Meeting
-Media Committee
-Outreach Committee
-Other Committees

11. Adjournment
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QUOTE:
In the twentieth century the international community has come to recognize
the common danger posed by the flagrant disregard of basic human rights and
particularly the right to be free of torture. Spurred first by the Great
War, and then the Second, civilized nations have banded together to
prescribe acceptable norms of international behavior. From the ashes of the
Second World War arose the United Nations Organization, amid hopes that an
era of peace and cooperation had at last begun. Though many of these
aspirations have remained elusive goals, that circumstance cannot diminish
the true progress that has been made. In the modern age, humanitarian and
practical considerations have combined to lead the nations of the world to
recognize that respect for fundamental human rights is in their individual
and collective interest. Among the rights universally proclaimed by all
nations, as we have noted, is the right to be free of physical torture.
Indeed, for purposes of civil liability, the torturer has become like the
pirate and slave trader before him hostis humani generis, an enemy of all
mankind.

-- Filartiga v. Peña-Irala, 630 F.2d 876 (2nd Cir., 1980)

Meeting of the ACLU Marin Chapter Board
At: conference room, The Redwoods Senior Center, Mill Valley, CA
Monday, October 18, 2010

Present: George Pegelow (chair), Bob Harmon (secretary), Mary Gomes, Yasmin Mogul, Max Diebel, Rico Hurvich.

Called to order at 10/18/2010 7:14 PM.

Approval of agenda: m/s/a/.

Approval of September meeting minutes passed.

Treasurer’s report: Secretary reported that we’ve just received our quarterly stipend of $484, and we now have $5,135 in our account.

Chair’s report. Bob Harmon reported on the recent wave of bullied LGBT students’ deaths. Emphasized the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Bullied” curriculum and the new “It Gets Better” Project on YouTube, the latter being one that ACLU-NC and National have endorsed. He also noted that ACLU National had provided an amicus brief in SCOTUS’ recent case involving Rev. Fred Phelps; we may get some complaints about it.

Non-agenda items and announcements. George announced there will be a presentation on student rights – the chapter is sponsoring it – November 18, 3 pm, at the Marin County Office of Education.

Old business. None.

New business.
Mary Gomes suggested a chapter party on the Friday after Thanksgiving, perhaps a potluck or catered event. She graciously suggested her house as a venue. Bob Harmon will poll the chapter board by e-mail for possible dates.

Max Diebel mentioned a possible event, student rights presentation or similar, by ACLU, aimed at students. The presentation would be at the Mill Valley Public Library. Max will follow up with the teacher and regarding school publicity. Many of the interested students are from the Street Law course and are interested in subjects like police interactions and such.

Possible Board meeting site at Northgate shopping center. Do we want to move our meetings to the meeting room above the Northgate food mall? Bob Harmon will make an e-mail query on this to board members.

Rico Hurvich asked for hotline data on Marin calls, esp. WRT police-public interactions. George will ask ACLU-NC, which now has a centralized hotline.

ACLU-NC Report. Field committee discussed corporate-personhood issue. Also regarding lawsuit to stop public schools charging for materials and books, ACLU-NC now arguing that California has a mandate for free education. ACLU-NC board discussed upgrading building security in the wake of the freeway shooting (the shooter was headed for ACLU and the Tides Foundation). The three California affiliates may pool resources to provide more Spanish-language materials. Bill of Rights Day will be December 5th, 1 pm – 4 pm, at the Longshoremen’s Hall in the City. We will probably be getting info in the quarterly newsletter. Friedman Project is being “reformatted”. Fall fundraising campaign now underway. Discussion of ACLU support of ballot propositions, supporting Prop 25, opposing Prop 20, 26. We are supporting Prop 19.

Committee Reports.
Death penalty. Very nearly had an execution at San Quentin; Attorney General’s seemed in a hurry to use the new facility. Execution is on hold, partly because the State is out of suitable chemicals. ACLU-NC is pressing the “know your DA” campaign as a way to get them to stop capital prosecutions.

Education committee: George met with the County Superintendent a couple weeks ago; education budget is their primary worry. We and the county office will sponsor a Nov. 18th presentation (see above). White Hill Middle School had “Challenge Days” for their 7th and 8th grades on bullying and prejudice. We are continuing to try to get “Talking Circles” into schools as well.

Law Enforcement committee: See above. George has additional “Your Rights and the Police” cards in English and Spanish.

Nomination committee. Max Diebel has a possible candidate, will bring that person forward. George urged the Board to think of other possible candidates as well.

Media committee: Max mentioned possible contacts at Tam media classes. Might be a chance to collaborate on interviews regarding police interactions. George has a video camera.

Outreach committee: We recently donated $100 to ACLU-NC in the name of the late Jerry Ellersdorfer; we got a card from his widow thanking us. Mary Gomes moved to do the same in the name of the late June Swan. M/s/a. George will notify the Treasurer.

Meeting adjourned at 10/18/2010 8:10 PM.