News and Commentary

As the leading civil rights organization in the Lone Star State, we at the ACLU of Texas believe it is our duty to keep the public informed about the state of their civil liberties. The work we do at the legislature, in the courts, and in our communities is important, but there is no better defender of civil rights than a public that is informed and engaged.

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Sep 24, 2014

Countering Violent Extremism: Time for the Administration to Get It Right

Today President Obama took the unusual step of chairing a meeting of the U.N. Security Council. He went seeking international support for the campaign against the group known as the Islamic State in Iraq...

By By Zak Newman, ACLU Washington Legislative Office

Today President Obama took the unusual step of chairing a meeting of the U.N. Security Council. He went seeking international support for the campaign against the group known as the Islamic State in Iraq...

By By Zak Newman, ACLU Washington Legislative Office
Sep 24, 2014

Television Directing’s Still a Boys Club

This blog was cross-posted from the ACLU of Southern California...

By By Melissa Goodman, National Security Project & Ariela Migdal, ACLU Women's Rights Project

This blog was cross-posted from the ACLU of Southern California...

By By Melissa Goodman, National Security Project & Ariela Migdal, ACLU Women's Rights Project
Sep 24, 2014

Fearmongering NSA Reform

On June 5, 2013, Edward Snowden shocked the world, providing proof that Americans were being spied on by their own government. Some praised him as a hero, others condemned him as a traitor, but there was...

By By Neema Singh Guliani, ACLU Legislative Counsel

On June 5, 2013, Edward Snowden shocked the world, providing proof that Americans were being spied on by their own government. Some praised him as a hero, others condemned him as a traitor, but there was...

By By Neema Singh Guliani, ACLU Legislative Counsel
Sep 24, 2014

Three Years in a Cage. No Charges and No Lawyer.

Octavious Burks has been waiting for 10 months.

He's locked in a jail in Scott County, Mississippi. He hasn't been formally charged. He hasn't been assigned an attorney.

This is a recurring...

By By Brandon Buskey, ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project

Octavious Burks has been waiting for 10 months.

He's locked in a jail in Scott County, Mississippi. He hasn't been formally charged. He hasn't been assigned an attorney.

This is a recurring...

By By Brandon Buskey, ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project
Sep 24, 2014

Hello, My Name Is NOT "Gaytard." How May I Help You?

I've been out to my family and friends since I was in the 5th grade. I'm not ashamed of being gay, and I don't hide who I am from anyone.

After school ended last semester, I wanted to find a summer...

By By Tyler Brandt

I've been out to my family and friends since I was in the 5th grade. I'm not ashamed of being gay, and I don't hide who I am from anyone.

After school ended last semester, I wanted to find a summer...

By By Tyler Brandt