DEARBORN — The rights of Arab Americans and all Americans will be the focus of a conference and mobilization sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn.
"With new revelations about wiretapping, Internet spying, torture cover-ups, and library censorship emerging almost daily, we think it's time to mobilize in defense of the Constitution," said Heather Bendure, chair of the Metro Detroit Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The event will feature dialogues with public officials and civil-liberties advocates and will develop and strengthen strategies for protecting the rights of all Americans.
Congressman John Conyers, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, will update efforts to preserve civil liberties at the federal level. Among the panelists will be The Arab American News publisher and editor-in-chief Osama Siblani.
Other speakers and panelists will include:
Heaster Wheeler, executive director of the Detroit NAACP; William Goodman, former national director of the Center for Constitutional Rights who has traveled to the U.S. prison in Guantanamo, Cuba; Robert Sedler, Wayne State University Law School professor; Michael Steinberg, legal director of the ACLU of Michigan: ACLU of Michigan attorney Mark Fancher; W. Kim Heron, editor, Metro Times; The Rev. Harry Cook, clergyman and author; Jacquelyn Washington, ACLU of Michigan vice-chair and member of the Wayne State University Board of Governors; and others.
"We hope to mobilize all those who are concerned with civil liberties to take action. In addition to the informational panels and speakers, we will be training participants on strategies for political action, use of media, and community education," said Bendure.
The "Reclaiming Our Rights" conference will be held at the Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, from 12 noon to 5:30 p.m., followed by a social reception. A registration fee of $15 (or sponsorship fee of $25) includes lunch and the post-conference reception. Registration is available on the web at www.aclumich.org, or by sending a check to Metro Detroit ACLU, 60 W. Hancock, Detroit MI 48201. Grosse Pointe Park resident David Elsila is chair of the conference committee. Call him for further information at 313.882.2032.
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