02.19.19
“Why Are Our Prisons So Overcrowded?” Asks Lawmaker As He Votes For Sentence Enhancement Bill
By Emma Keeshin
I wish this was a satirical headline published by The Onion. But it’s something we actually see and hear in the halls of the Statehouse from the officials we Ohioans have elected to represent us. Because of policy decisions, our state’s incarceration rate has more than quadrupled since 1970. Like clockwork, at the beginning of… more »
01.28.19
Cuyahoga County Running an Inhumane Facility – It’s Not the First Time
By Emma Keeshin
Protest photo outside of Cuyahoga County Justice Center – Tuesday, January 8, 2019 You’ve likely seen the headlines: seven people died in the Cuyahoga County jail between June and October 2018, prompting a U.S. Marshals investigation and then, scathing report detailing the shocking conditions people are subjected to at the hands of the County.… more »
01.18.19
Why this gay man cares passionately about protecting Roe v. Wade
By J. Bennett Guess
A reflection to commemorate the 46th anniversary of “Roe” Every civil libertarian I’ve met, it seems, has their own personal story about why protecting essential freedoms is deeply personal. I am no different. Since my earliest days as an activist, two issues – LGBTQ rights and abortion rights – have resonated strongly with me. They’ve… more »
01.16.19
Turn On The Cameras
By Gary Daniels
The ACLU of Ohio is encouraged by Speaker Householder’s stated plan to broadcast committee hearings in the Ohio House. Greater transparency and increased understanding of the legislative process will surely benefit all Ohioans. We hope the Senate will follow suit and do the same for all, instead of just some, of their own committees.… more »
Tags: open government
11.27.18
Donate to These Awesome Organizations This Giving Tuesday
By Celina Coming
This Giving Tuesday we want to shed light on some amazing organizations who do incredible work for Ohioans each and every day. We have the opportunity to turn a normal weekday into something much bigger, don’t let this period of heightened social activism fade away! We hope you’ll consider giving to our friends and partners… more »
11.15.18
Transgender Day of Remembrance; We Won’t Forget Our 22
By Catalleya Storm
22. I remember my first year observing Trans Day of Remembrance. There was a vigil being held – everyone was around, heads on shoulders, arms wrapped around one another. We were crying, mourning the death of our siblings who were unjustly taken from us. Their names were read aloud as a candle was lit to… more »
11.09.18
A Post-Election Message
By J. Bennett Guess
On Wednesday morning we woke up to an Ohio that looks very similar to the one we said goodnight to on Tuesday. We still face a mass incarceration crisis, we lack workable solutions to a deadly opioid epidemic, and the same lawmakers who opposed Ballot Issue 1 provide us with no plans for moving ahead.… more »
10.10.18
No Safety Without Justice: Recommendations for a Toledo that is #SafeForAll
By Emma Keeshin
When we first met with Toledo city officials to discuss safety it was the summer of 2017, and it had just been announced that Toledo would partner with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on an anti-violent crime initiative. Less crime, less violence – what could be bad about that? But this is a DOJ that… more »
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10.01.18
Regarding the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States
By ACLU of Ohio
We, the ACLU of Ohio, have two concerns regarding the nomination of and hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. First, a traditional concern of the American Civil Liberties Union is due process. While congressional hearings are not formally subject to the requirement of due process, when that standard is not met the American people are justifiably… more »
09.26.18
Cuyahoga County Council Passed Legislation that Protects the LGBT Community
By Susan J. Becker
On September 25, 2018 the Cuyahoga County Council passed an LGBT Non-Discrimination Ordinance by a vote of 8-3. The words represented in this blog reflect the sentiments that the ACLU of Ohio’s General Counsel Susan Becker presented at the Cuyahoga County Council meeting on September 25, 2018. While the testimony below is representative of Susan… more »