| The Freedom of Speech During Elections |
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| The freedom of speech is "essential to our democratic ideals." A city cannot ban political candidates from mentioning their opponents in a city voter pamphlet. The First Amendment permits candidates--even ones for judicial offices--to speak out on their party membership or affiliation, as well as on their views on political issues. A state appellate court has ruled that a shopping mall cannot ban a political candidate from soliciting petition signatures on mall property.
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| Criminal Civil Rights Violations |
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| A criminal violation requires the use of force or a threat of force. The alleged perpetrator can be prosecuted under various federal criminal civil rights statutes, such as those laws that prohibit hate crimes, bias crimes, and human trafficking. Usually, just one or a few people are charged with a violation. More... |
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| Children's Internet Protection Act |
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| The Children's Internet Protection Act requires a public library to use "filtering" or "blocking" software on computers that are available to the public. A library that fails to do so would lose certain federal funds.
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| Gay Men and Lesbians as Foster Parents |
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| Civil rights advocates say that sexual orientation discrimination occurs when a state refuses to place a foster child with a single man because he is gay or when a lesbian couple is not permitted to provide emergency foster care because of their sexual orientation. At least two states have laws or regulations prohibiting gay men or lesbians from serving as foster parents. Those opposed to such laws and policies cite reports indicating that children raised by lesbian or gay parents--either as single parents or as same sex partners--seem to receive the same level of care and concern as do children raised by heterosexual parents. Proponents of permitting gay men and lesbians to provide foster care also point to the critical shortage of foster care providers.
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| Proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act |
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| Civil rights organizations, as well as many major corporations, have sought the passage of the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) since 1996. So far, these efforts have been unsuccessful. The legislators who have sponsored ENDA say they have done so because sexual orientation in the workplace is commonplace and unacceptable. The purpose of ENDA is to prohibit intentional sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace. ENDA would accomplish this goal by adding sexual orientation to the list of protected traits or characteristics that presently includes race, national origin, gender, religion, age, and disability.
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