Dear OPednews editors:
The ACLU asked for this to be forwarded, so reprinting should be okay, I would assume.
FYI for those who have not read ACLU messages previously, the reason why the ACLU opposes the amendment to require teenagers to notify their parents prior to receiving an abortion, is that (as the ACLU points out) kids who come from a healthy home environment would tell their parents anyway. Those coming from a dysfunctional or violent home keep secrets out of necessity, sometimes because their lives depend on those secrets. THanks---Kathryn Smith
Dear ACLU Supporter,
It's hard to believe that there are just 5 days before the election on November 4th!
Many ACLU members around the country have already signed the ACLU's Constitution Voter Pledge to make sure that the next president will be committed to restoring the Constitution and the fundamental freedoms it protects.
Here in California, that's not all that voters like you must do to protect freedom and equality in the Golden State. We face critical ballot initiatives that demand your attention.
The best way to protect the California Constitution is to vote NO on PROPOSITIONS 4 and 8.
NO on Proposition 4: Protect teens from a law that may force our most vulnerable teens into taking desperate measures with terrible, real-world consequences.
Proposition 4 would amend the California Constitution to restrict teens' access to reproductive health services and put millions of young women at risk by requiring parental notification before a minor can terminate a pregnancy.
We need your help to ensure teens' health and safety comes first in California. Visit http://www.noonprop4.org/ to get involved, and read ACLU-NC attorney Margaret Crosby's analysis of the initiative, as published in the Daily Journal.
NO on Proposition 8: Stand up for the fundamental freedoms of all Californians, and vote NO on the constitutional amendment that would eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry.
With 5 days until Election Day, we've come close to closing the massive money gap and have regained some territory in the polls. Part of that effort is the No on 8 Campaign's new ad, which calls out the other side's lies and their shameful use of children as a political tool in their efforts to take away rights. It's also because generous, fair-minded Californians are giving as much money and time as they can to help defeat this unfair initiative. Visit http://www.noonprop8.org/.
The ACLU also encourages you to vote NO on Propositions 6 and 9.
NO on Propositions 6 and 9: Help defeat these misguided criminal justice initiatives. This is the wrong time for Californians to spend billions of dollars on two propositions that put more money into the dysfunctional prison system and take it away from our schools, healthcare, fire protection and other worthwhile programs. Visit http://www.votenoprop6.com/ and http://www.votenoprop9.com/.
YES on Prop 5: An ambitious criminal justice reform measure, Proposition 5 offers common sense solutions to prison overcrowding by providing drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders, saving California taxpayers billions of dollars.
The ACLU encourages you to vote YES on Proposition 5.
Prop. 5, the Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act (NORA), would transform California's dysfunctional $10-billion-a-year prison system by providing a comprehensive model for approaching substance abuse as a public health issue. It would reduce the number of nonviolent people unnecessarily incarcerated. The independent Legislative Analyst's Office estimates Prop. 5 would generate net taxpayer savings of $2.5 billion in only a few years--savings that could be used for healthcare, education and addressing the budget deficit. Prop. 5 would build upon Prop. 36, passed by 61 percent of voters in 2000, which diverted nonviolent first- and second-time offenders into substance-abuse treatment programs, a move that has saved California $1.5 billion and has not led to an increase in crime. Visit http://www.prop5yes.com to learn more.
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