News & Commentary

While the pundits debate the aftermath of the midterm elections, it’s worth noting that there was one bright spot, right here in Colorado. For the second time in two years, our voters rejected a ballot initiative that could have seriously threatened the ability of women and families to make private health care decisions.

Denver Officer Faces 2nd Racial Profiling Settlement; City Council Considers $24K Settlement Monday Night

Michael Roberts blogs about the ACLU's stance on rosaries in public schools.

An announcement made by a Colorado Springs middle school, stipulating how students can wear rosaries, has the ACLU speaking out against the decision. The group says religious liberty does not stop at the entrance to a public school.

The Religious Liberty Committee of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado strongly endorses the demands made by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) in its letter to the Secretary of Defense, dated 9/28/10.We agree that the content of the USAF Academy’s recent “Climate Survey” of religious, racial and sexual preference attitudes by Cadets and Staff should be publicly released, as in the past.We endorse the Foundation’s demand for an immediate and comprehensive study by the Dept. of Defense of any direct or tacit endorsement by the USAF Academy Superintendent or other staff, of aggressive proselytizing by fundamentalist Christian factions of USAF Academy cadets and staff, both on and off campus.Such endorsement, implied or otherwise, as detailed in the Foundation’s letter, is a clear violation of the principle of separation of religion and government, as required by the First Amendment of the Constitution. All cadets at the USAF Academy and, indeed, all members of our Armed Forces must be granted full freedom of their religious beliefs, and it is government’s responsibility to preserve these liberties for the brave protectors of our freedoms.

ACLU Legal Director Mark Silverstein talks with Colorado Public Radio about our lawsuits against the postcard-only prisoner correspondence policies of the El Paso and Boulder County Jails. Listen to host Ryan Warner's interview here.

Read Susan Greene's column on Grand Junction's "emergency" ordinances.