BENTON-LINN ACLU CHAPTER SPRING UPDATE
By Trish Daniels and Hilary Brittan

Much of our chapter’s attention during the spring was taken up with the same-sex marriage controversy. In March the Benton County Board of Commissioners held an open meeting to receive public comment on the issue of granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Oregon ACLU Director David Fidanque and two members of our local chapter testified in favor, as did many of the 75-plus persons who provided testimony. The commission’s decision to begin granting the licenses was halted before it went into effect following discussions with the State Attorney General. Faced with unexpected challenges in implementing their original decision, the Board voted to cease granting marriage licenses altogether until the issue could be clarified by the courts. Opponents of same-sex marriage threatened to recall the chair of the commission, and to defeat the other two commissioners who are up for re-election this fall. The opponents were unsuccessful in gathering the required number of signatures needed by June 28 to force a recall election. Because of the high level of interest this issue has created locally, we plan to make the No on Constitutional Amendment 36 campaign the focus of our informational booth at the Corvallis Fall Festival September 25-26.

Another developing local issue of interest is the use of censorship filters on some library computers. Keane McGee, ACLU co-chair of Benton-Linn’s chapter board, has attended library board meetings to provide information to board members. This issue shows signs of becoming a large public controversy, and we are continuing to monitor it. We are also continuing work on plans to host the Safe and Free Road Show October 28, 2004 in the Engineering Auditorium in LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU campus from 7 to 9 pm.

SOUTHERN OREGON CHAPTER NEWS
By Paul Copeland

The Southern Oregon Chapter of the ACLU of Oregon includes members in Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath counties. Recent activities include ongoing work with a coalition lobbying the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to adopt a resolution opposing provisions of the USA-PATRIOT Act. In June the chapter participated in the Oregon Safe and Free ACLU road show event in Medford. Chapter board members accompanied ACLU staff on news media briefings and co-hosted a presentation at the Medford library attended by 180 people. Chapter board members Jan Lofthouse of Ashland and Phil Studenberg of Klamath Falls shared the podium with Executive Director David Fidanque. This summer the chapter has been interested in a new Ashland ordinance prohibiting public nudity. There are concerns about regulating political and artistic expression and criminalizing victimless behavior. Also, chapter board members met with the Jackson County DA regarding a civil Grand Jury investigating the county jail. This research is ongoing.

The Chapter Board held a retreat at Fort Klamath near Crater Lake on August 14th and developed plans for a series of study sessions on civil liberties topics. The first event will cover rights of homeless persons and indigent defense on September 18, 10:00 AM, at the Medford library. The Chapter annual meeting at 2:00 PM on October 9th at the Ashland library will include videos about the USA-PATRIOT Act. These dates and locations are preliminary. Members can call the Medford hotline at 858-3349 for updated event information.

LANE COUNTY CHAPTER
By Polly Nelson

ACLU of Oregon’s “Safe and Free Tour” on the USA-PATRIOT Act will come to Eugene on October 26th 7:00pm – 9:00pm, at the Eugene Pubic Library. (See accompanying “Taking the Safe & Free Campaign on the Road” story). Brian Michaels, of the Lane County Bill of Rights Defense Committee and David Fidanque are scheduled speakers. The Lane County Bill of Rights Defense Committee is co-sponsoring the event.

Chapter members are actively volunteering for the No on Constitutional Amendment 36 campaign. We’ll be part of the PFLAG “Focus on the Family” Eugene Celebration parade entry. Join us and help us focus on real families that would be hurt if Constitutional Amendment 36 would pass.

In early August, the Chapter, along with Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC), the Eugene Police Commission and the Eugene Human Rights Commission, co-sponsored a public meeting on the Eugene Police Department’s complaint process. Approximately half of the 80 people attending said they fear filing complaints against Eugene police officers. The City of Eugene is planning more community meetings for the fall on how the police complaint process can be improved.