Censorship Affects Some of the Most Vulnerable Members of Our Society: Children and People Who Are Incarcerated.

Book banning in 2019 looks more like challenges and book removals in public libraries, school curriculums, and prisons. This is censorship which affects some of the most vulnerable members of our society: children and people who are incarcerated.

A display of banned books in which the books look like they are holding protest signs about the reasons why they were banned or challenged

Free Speech Extends to Social Media

We trust our elected officials to represent us, listen to our feedback, and provide us with information on issues of public importance. In our modern era, public officials use social media to conduct official business, share important information about key issues, and engage with their constituents.

Scott Taylor's constituents held a "blocked party" on their lawn.

The art and science of activism depend on each other. Without one, the other collapses.

Harvard public policy profess spoke about the head and the heart, how they depend on each other, without one, the other collapses. Then he gave us all a philosophy that is the basis of this article, and will be the basis of all my future activism: “It takes the head and the heart to move the hands.”

The ACLU of Virginia, along with 13-year-old activist Henry Haggard, against the stage at the ACLU National Membership Conference in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2018

But what else can I do?

Personal stories destroy stereotypes and ignite compassion, for others, for our selves and for the world we live in. My passion is already providing a safe and sacred space for stories to be written and providing a platform where those stories can be heard.

A picture of a wall full of sticky notes about what people fight for, from the ACLU Membership Conference

Virginia Supreme Court Sees Through Police Claim That License Plate Data Isn’t ‘Personal’

By Jay Stanley, Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU national Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project

ALPR

When the Government Watches Us, Abuse Inevitably Follows

The ACLU doesn’t flatly oppose technology or its use in law enforcement. We do oppose its use without public “consent” to use it generally, without good policies in place to protect privacy and First Amendment rights and prohibit discriminatory targeting against people of color.

Surveillance cameras at the corner of 17th Street in Virginia Beach

Prince William County's Response to ACLU-VA's Criticism on Handling of Student Protest

Today, the ACLU-VA received a letter from Prince William County Associate Superintendent for Communications & Technology Services Phil Kavits regarding its criticism of the County's Feb. 21 letter to students and parents. In the spirit of transparency, we're sharing this letter here:

A student holding a speaker while attending a protest

One Nation, Under God

Whatever you think about Kaepernick and the pledge, and however you choose to demonstrate your beliefs, we the people, united as a country, must fight the ongoing injustice - not only racist individuals, but subtly racist fundamental laws make minorities so disadvantaged.

Some members of the San Francisco 49ers kneel during the National Anthem before a game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on October 15, 2017 in Landover, Maryland.

ACLU-VA's Response to Prince William County Superintendent's Threat against Students who Participate in Protests

We share the concern of those from Prince William County who reached out to us about the preemptive and somewhat threatening tone of the Superintendent’s letter regarding student participation in protests about "school gun violence" either on or off campus during school hours.

Photo of high school students walking out and protesting