Our ACLU Event on June 3rd was a huge sucessss. Thatk you to everyon who joined us.
Fighting authoritarianism starts with one simple rule: Don’t Fight Alone!
That was the message shared by Thai Pham and Adairah Thapa of the National & Nebraska ACLU. Rev Meadows opened the evening with an invocation. Thai explained how the ACLU protects free speech, mobilizes public engagement, defends immigrants’ rights, files litigation and works to safeguard our elections. He noted that during Trump 1.0, the ACLU filed 2 lawsuits every month; with Trump 2.0, it is now 4 per week.
Adairah provided us with an update on the immigration detention facility in McCook, the Cornhusker Klink. She discussed the Nebraska ACLU’s legal efforts on behalf of asylum seekers, including a successful challenge to ICE policies that blocked bond hearings. She also highlighted the work of a local attorney partnering with the ACLU, along with the local community who are now having water issues due to the facility.
“Best Way to Protect Our Freedom is to Act Free”
In the face of an administration whose goal is to scare us into silence, we must speak loudly, deploy the right tactics, and apply public pressure. The ACLU was built for moments like these- and, with public support, is responding on multiple fronts.
The ACLU is mounting the largest election defense effort in its 106-year history, with an Election Safeguarding Action Plan designed to address 25 potential scenarios and outlines strategies responses. The ACLU is also playing the long game in State Supreme Court races, State Legislative races, and ballot measures. For more details, this is the ACLU presentation.
The best response to disorganized chaos is organized resistance and change becomes possible. But meaningful change also depends on ordinary citizens becoming engaged.
Here are 5 ways to get involved:
1) Contact your representatives.
Take Action | American Civil Liberties Union
2) Join grassroots advocacy efforts.
Join ACLU People Power | PeoplePower.org
3) Attend or host a community event.
TAKE ACTION – ACLU of Nebraska
Nebraska’s Next Step on Smart Justice – ACLU of Nebraska
4) Become a member Become an ACLU Member | American Civil Liberties Union
5) Support the organization financially.