ACLU of Mississippi Reading Room
Welcome to our Reading Room!
In this section, we provide valuable resources for activists to get
involved in civil liberties issues. We hope you find the following
Reading material useful.
We also provide, through partnership with Amazon.com, suggested books
worth reading. Purchase a book you see here and throughout the web site
by clicking on the book, and a portion of your purchase comes to the
ACLU of Mississippi. Another way to support civil liberties in
Mississippi!
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window so that you do not lose your place here.
Please also note that some of the material below requires the use of the
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ACLU of Mississippi's Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and
Transgender Rights Series
The ACLU of Mississippi, in association with Equality Mississippi, present
s 3 useful resources for the Mississippi Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. In a time when Mississippi laws do not recognize LGBT relationships, it's a must that LGBT persons in a relationship protect their rights and life's rewards. These booklets show how to make the current laws work for you.Suggested Books Worth Reading
In Defense of American Liberties : A History of the ACLU by Samuel Walker
Terrorism & The Constitution: Sacrificing Civil Liberties in the Name of National Security by James X. Dempsey, David Cole
The Constitutional Underclass: Gays, Lesbians, and the Failure of Class-Based Equal Protection by Evan Gerstmann
The Courage of Their Convictions: Sixteen Americans Who Fought Their Way to the Supreme Court by Peter H. Irons
Civil Liberties and the Constitution: Cases and Commentaries (8th Edition) by Lucius Jefferson Barker
FOR CHILDREN
A Kids' Guide to America's Bill of Rights: Curfews, Censorship, and the
100-Pound Giant by Kathleen Krull; Illustrated by Anna Divito
Shh! We're Writing The Constitution [book] by Jean Fritz;
Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Shh! We're Writing The Constitution [audio cassette]
ACLU Position Papers
A Brief
History of the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights briefing paper gives an overview of the historical
events and principles on which the Bill of Rights was established. Great
resource for learning about the background of one of the most important
documents shaping American society.
ACLU: Freedom is Why We're Here [Adobe Acrobat .pdf]
The ACLU: Freedom is Why We're Here position paper gives an overview of
ACLU's history and mission to defend the individual rights and liberties
guaranteed by the Constitution and U.S. laws. Contains a timeline of
some ACLU highlights from securing the services of Clarence Darrow for
the defense in the 1925 Scopes case to defending cyber-liberties in
1997's ACLU v. Reno free speech case.
Against
Drug Prohibition
The Against Drug Prohibition briefing paper expresses ACLU's position on
the criminal prohibition of drugs. Presents compelling arguments for the
necessity of drug policy reform.
Death Penalty [Adobe Acrobat .pdf]
The Death Penalty briefing paper gives an overview of reasons to support
the abolition of the death penalty. Reasons are based on the argument
that capital punishment violates Constitutional prohibitions on cruel
and unusual punishment and equal protection of the laws.
Disability
Rights
The Disability Rights briefing paper covers topics such as the legal
definition of disability and the laws which protect the rights of people
with disabilities.
Freedom of
Expression
The Freedom of Expression briefing paper covers topics such as speech
and national security, unprotected forms of expression, and the Supreme
Court's interpretation of the First Amendment.
Freedom of
Expression in the Arts and Entertainment
The Freedom of Expression in the Arts and Entertainment briefing paper
gives an overview of First Amendment issues relating to the arts and
entertainment fields. Discussed topics include sexual speech, media
violence and obscenity.
Hate
Speech on Campus
The Hate Speech on Campus briefing paper gives an overview of hate
speech issues from a student's point of view.
Rights of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People
The Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People briefing
paper covers topics such as the constitutional basis for LGBT rights and
same sex marriage.
Prisoners' Rights [Adobe Acrobat .pdf]
Giving an overview of inmates' rights, the Prisoners' Rights position
paper covers issues such as disciplinary sanctions, access to medical
care and protection from assault.
Racial Justice [Adobe Acrobat .pdf]
The Racial Justice briefing paper gives an overview of racial justice
issues facing people of color and outlines ACLU's campaign for their
fair and equal treatment.
Right to Choose: A Fundamental Liberty [Adobe Acrobat .pdf]
Offering an overview of reproductive rights issues in the U.S., the
Right to Choose position paper covers topics such as access to
reproductive health services and the post-Roe struggle.
Rights of
Immigrants
Focusing on civil liberty issues related to immigration, the Rights of
Immigrants briefing paper covers topics such as include "English Only"
laws and the asylum process.
ACLU Special Reports
American Drug Laws: The New Jim Crow Marriage Benefits
Censorship in a Box: Why Blocking Software is Wrong for Public Libraries
Drug Testing: A Bad Investment [Adobe Acrobat .pdf]
Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual
HIV And Homeless Shelters: Policy And Practice
HIV Partner Notification: Why Coercion Won't Work
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Freedom of Information Act
The Case Against the Death Penalty
Delivered at the 1999 ACLU Biennial Conference, this speech focuses on
how the drug war fuels racially discriminatory law enforcement. Glasser
persuasively asserts that it is no longer possible in this country to
discuss race discrimination without discussing drug policy, and it is no
longer possible to discuss drug policy without discussing about race. He
urges engagement in the politics of the drug war and on the issue of
incarceration in order to address these problems.
Civil unions would provide gay and lesbian couples some 350 benefits
and protections offered by the state, but would carry little clout
beyond the borders of
Arguing against the usage of blocking software in public libraries, the
Censorship in a Box report discusses topics such as how blocking
software works, and legislative and legal efforts supporting and
battling cyber-censorship in the libraries.
Surveying ten years of research and empirical evidence on drug use
among workers, its impact on work performance, and whether urine testing
is an effective tool for identifying drug abusers in the workplace, this
report shows that workplace urine testing is unjustifiable from a
business perspective.
In communities all across the U.S. people have organized to address
police abuse. Some of the most successful strategies are described in
this manual on how communities can combat police brutality.
An estimated one-third to one-half of people living with AIDS in the
U.S. are either homeless or at risk for homelessness. The ACLU AIDS
Project addresses the intertwined crises of HIV and homelessness through
this report.
Focusing on state-mandated coercive HIV partner notification, this
report exposes why such policies fail and highlights public health
alternatives.
This step-by-step guide offers detailed information, instructions and
sample letters designed to help you make an effective FOIA request and
exercise your right to "open agency action to the light of public
scrutiny."
ACLU's arguments for the abolition of the death penalty, written by a
leading capital punishment scholar.