News & Commentary

Just last week, thousands were celebrating Royal Oak's move to amend the city anti-discrimination ordinance to protect all our neighbors and visitors. However, now a small group is circulating a petition to stop this common-sense law from going into effect.  Take action: Urge your friends to Decline to Sign► Share on Facebook► Tweet this65% of Michiganders support making sure that gay and transgender people, are protected from discrimination. Twenty-one other cities in Michigan and more than 100 across the country who have successfully implemented similar ordinances.“The Royal Oak City Commission passed the human rights ordinance 6 to 1,” said Commissioner Jim Rasor, who participated in the press conference. “This is something that fair-minded people across our city support. It’s good for Royal Oak. That’s why the City Commission voted to support this effort.”Key News and Documents► ACLU Blog | Who's Elliott Larsen? Searching for Equality in MichiganLearn more about issues you care about and take action: become a member, subscribe to our email action alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. 

During the 2012 election year the ACLU began to receive complaints that the Michigan Liquor Control Commission was enforcing an old administrative regulation that prohibits bars and restaurants from posting political ads anywhere on their property. Signs about sports teams and beer were allowed, but a sign that said “Vote for Mitt Romney” or “Re-elect Barack Obama” were prohibited.

Eight months have passed, but no one knows what to say to those sitting behind bars with a little hope...but no answers.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that children who commit crimes can't be sentenced to mandatory life without parole when they ruled on Miller V. Alabama. Yet, despite the verdict that their sentences are cruel and unusual, the fate of Michigan’s 361 juvenile lifers still remains undecided.While the ruling makes it clear that juvenile life sentences, states are wondering whether this should affect those already sentenced. The question now is whether children sentenced to die behind bars before this ruling now have a glimmer of hope: a parole hearing to determine if they are rehabilitated and have a chance at a life outside of prison.Here in Michigan, it's time to put that question to rest.

What's the worst that could happen when you complain about local government or news on your Facebook status? For most of us, we'll be unfriended. But for one local civil rights activist, a judge's penalty was much higher.  Majed Moughni heard about a settlement in a class action lawsuit against McDonald's, and deeply disagreed about how the settlement money was spent. He spoke out about the issue on his Facebook account. Like so many of us who share our opinions with friends on the internet, the worst that should have happened was a couple of irritating comments from an old high school friend.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of moving one step forward and two steps back on reproductive freedom. Just yesterday, Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger, a Republican, publically proclaimed mandatory transvaginal ultrasounds for women seeking abortions have no place in his House. When we posted on Facebook to thank Speaker Bolger for listening to us about women’s health care, a few people commented with skepticism that true progress had been made. But I was hopeful – hopeful that this progress would last more than 24 hours.  Less than a day later, news sources announced that his colleagues in the Senate would be dropping abortion coverage for senators and their staff effective May 1. There are 38 state senators – 34 men and four women. Apparently, women senators are entrusted to make decisions about our state, but not their own bodies or health care. Could it be that once again men are calling the shots about women’s health care?

We all need to be able to hear the truth about the government, businesses and people who affect our lives. Alexandria Goddard and the people of Steubenville, Ohio know that better than most right now.  Across the internet, from Twitter posts to Youtube videos to photo sharing sites, evidence that appears to show local high school football players raping a teenage girl has emerged online.  After perceiving a lack of police enthusiasm for investigating the case, Alexandria and other internet detectives began blogging for justice... but ran into some shocking roadblocks. Alexandria Goddard runs the blog Prinniefied.com, providing a online forum for locals in Steubenville to share information. As the rape case became news, residents and internet activists began sharing evidence collected from the internet anonymously. A student who was mentioned demanded to know the identities of the anonymous commentators, filing a lawsuit through his parents. 

Last week, the Michigan Legislature passed a slew of dangerous bills that, if signed by the Governor, will have devastating impacts on our state's workers, women and families. This isn't the Michigan we voted for. Join thousands of other Michiganders as we rally in Lansing tomorrow, Tuesday the 11th to hold legislators accountable for their recent attacks. Headed to Lansing? Before you make the trip, make sure that you Know Your Protest Rights. At the ACLU of Michigan, we want everyone to be able to exercise their right to assemble, protest and be heard without interference. Read our Know Your Protest Rights guide to get a handle on important issues including:

They did it behind closed doors.  Yesterday, while the police locked the public out of the Capitol, the Michigan Legislature sneaked a set of extremist add-ons onto bills meant to reform Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. Provisions tacked on to Senate Bill 1293 and 1294 contain extreme measures that would ban any health care policy issued in Michigan from providing abortion coverage, making comprehensive health care near impossible to obtain for a woman in our state. Urge Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Daniel Loepp to stand in opposition to these dangerous measures These provisions would force women to do the impossible — predict an unplanned pregnancy or a future medical crisis in order to purchase an expensive insurance rider in advance. Not only that, but shockingly insurers wouldn't even be required offer such riders: leaving many women without the support of their insurer in a time of need.  These last minute, politically-motivated additions would make it difficult, expensive  and sometimes impossible for women in our state to get the legal and medically necessary health care they need. Blue Cross Blue Shield is in the business of keeping Michigan healthy. Let's urge them to support a woman's ability to make health care decisions in a crisis. Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Daniel Loepp could use his influence to recommend the Governor drop these extremist measures. Urge him to stand up for Michigan women and for a truly healthy Michigan by emailing him directly at dloepp@bcbsm.com Read more about the Capitol Lockout, including videos and blogs