Author: Ellen Kubit, Author at ACLU of Ohio

12.14.15

When Protecting Liberty Means Defending Your Enemy

Ellen Kubit

“What if someone were to kill you!”

This is one of the more common threats yelled at me and my fellow clinic escorts when we volunteer at Cleveland’s Preterm Abortion Clinic. Such terrorizing phrases come from a group of self-identified “pro-life” protesters, who wait outside the clinic daily to voice their dissension towards and disrespect for the clinic’s staff, volunteers, security guards, patients and women in general.

06.26.15

Love Wins in Ohio and the Nation

Ellen Kubit

Today, Friday, June 26, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that state bans against same-sex marriage couples are unconstitutional.  In other words, today, for the first time in history, our country must recognize—everywhere—that love is free.

Here at the ACLU of Ohio, we are absolutely ecstatic.

06.12.15

With Great Power Comes Great Accountability

Ellen Kubit

Photograph courtesy of Rachel Woods

Change in the Cleveland Division of Police is long overdue.

After the U.S. Department of Justice publicized its findings from its most recent investigation of the CDP, the ACLU provided recommendations for how Cleveland police can fix their unconstitutional policies and practices.

05.22.15

Being a Witness Is Not Enough

Ellen Kubit

If you pay any attention to the news lately, you would think that the country is suddenly in the midst of a police misconduct crisis.  Every month or so, we learn about how a police officer killed someone of color: Michael Brown, John Crawford, Eric Garner, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Tony Robinson, and unfortunately, far too many more.

02.27.15

The Reality for Ohio Women Today

Ellen Kubit

Last week, the ACLU of Ohio reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed on behalf of a single mother, Jennifer Maudlin.

According to Maudlin, Inside Out, Inc., a Christian-based childcare facility, fired her under an unwritten company policy against non-marital sex after she informed them she was pregnant.

01.21.15

An Era of Reproductive Freedom, Thanks to Roe v. Wade

Ellen Kubit

It has been 42 years since the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which ruled that a woman’s decision to have an abortion is protected by the constitution.

Almost 20 years later, Roe was upheld but modified. Planned Parenthood v.

01.02.15

2016 Is Only a Year Away…

Ellen Kubit

2015 is here. That means the 2016 presidential election is on the horizon.

Few people in Ohio want to begin thinking about the 2016 election cycle, especially on the heels of a midterm election. Between the countless advertisements, back-and-forth arguments, and non-stop campaigning, election years can be tiresome.

12.18.14

Black Lives Matter: Marching on Washington

Ellen Kubit

Photograph courtesy of Rachel Woods

It was pure activism in motion. The call went out and thousands came to have their voices heard by those in power.

This past weekend, several ACLU of Ohio staffers traveled to Washington D.C., to participate in the National March Against Police Violence, sponsored by the National Action Network.

12.06.14

Fallout From Ferguson: Takeaways From Two Ohio Protests

Ellen Kubit and Steve David

“NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!”

That age-old protesters’ rallying cry has been echoing across the country since November 24 when a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, failed to indict the police officer responsible for killing Michael Brown. The following day, people in several Ohio towns and throughout the nation gathered in protest.

11.26.14

The So-Called “Heartbeat Bill” Gets Revived

Ellen Kubit

Another day, another attempt to promote government intrusion into the lives of thousands of women and their doctors.

Last week, the Ohio House Health and Aging Committee snuck onto its agenda House Bill 248 (HB 248), often called the “Heartbeat Bill,” which restricts reproductive freedom and promotes poor health care practices and overreaching governance.

10.17.14

Domestic Violence: A Matter of Civil Liberties

Ellen Kubit

“…Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, which, among many other things, should prompt us to reflect upon whether or not we take these “unalienable rights” memorialized in the Declaration of Independence seriously.

Acts of domestic violence are ultimately crimes of power that involve perpetrators who seek total control over their victims.

09.16.14

Senate Bill 349: An Attack on Civil Rights Protections

Ellen Kubit

Have you shown up to rent an apartment, but were turned away because of the color of your skin? Or because you have a disability? The law might not be on your side anymore.

Discrimination in access to housing is unlawful.