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Published Wednesday,
January 19, 2005
Leader of ACLU
talks on agenda
"We have defended the right
for individuals to engage in polygamy,"
BY CRYSTAL PAUL-LAUGHINGHOUSE
Contributing
Reporter |
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An overflowing crowd of more than 60 students and community members crammed
into the Swing Space common room Tuesday to hear Nadine Strossen, the
president of the American Civil Liberties Union, discuss the ACLU's agenda
on issues ranging from gay marriage rights to Janet Jackson's "wardrobe
malfunction."
Strossen, also a professor at New York Law School, discussed her personal
experiences in civil liberties law at a master's tea sponsored by Davenport
and Calhoun colleges Tuesday afternoon.
"My heroes and heroines are our clients," Strossen said. "You get people who
have not been schooled in civil liberties who grew up in hostile communities
and have the instinct <00AD>-- and I do think it's an instinct -- and the
courage to do such things."
In response to a student's question about gay marriage, bigamy and polygamy
in certain communities, Strossen said the ACLU is actively fighting to
defend freedom of choice in marriage and partnerships.
"We have defended the right for individuals to engage in polygamy," Strossen
said. "We defend the freedom of choice for mature, consenting individuals."
The ACLU strives to be the "nation's guardian of liberty" and seeks to
conserve the rights and liberties in the Constitution by lobbying
legislators and making the public aware of threats to civil rights, she
said.
"What is unique about the ACLU is that we set as our mission what should be
the mission of the government, and that is to defend all fundamental rights
of all people," Strossen said. "Other organizations will focus on rights of
particular groups."
The group's current body of members and supporters numbers more than 400,000
and Strossen said she has seen membership increase in recent years.
"There has been a culture that has been created in which people support
civil liberties," Strossen said. "They demand them."
Strossen is the first woman to head the civil liberties organization since
it was founded in 1920. After graduating from Harvard College in 1972 and
Harvard Law School in 1975, Strossen authored several books and articles on
civil liberties.
"[Strossen has] amazing courage and confidence in articulating a civil
rights agenda," New York Law School professor Tanina Rostain said,
introducing her colleague at the tea. "Nadine has this amazing capacity to
see the light at the end of the tunnel."
After the talk finished, a large group of students waited to ask Strossen
more questions about her work.
"Definitely worth braving the cold for," Charlie Katz '08 said.
Some students said their political activism is what drew them to the talk.
"She did a really good job of making us more optimistic," said Ali Frick
'07, who said she is interested in civil liberties and constitutional law.
"She wasn't even allowed to apply to Yale [in the 1960s], so that shows how
far women's rights have come since then."
Many members of Yale's chapter of the ACLU also attended the talk and were
excited to meet Strossen in person.
"Seeing that I get to be the voice of Yale ACLU, I wanted to see what the
real ACLU had to say," said Nick Seaver '07, the president of the Yale ACLU.
Copyright © 1995-2005 Yale Daily News Publishing Company, Inc. All
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