News & Commentary

September 26, 2013

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma is honoring five lawmakers for the 2013 legislative session. The Oklahoma legislature has a history of being home to true champions of civil liberties. These giants stood guard of the Constitution in a state more often known for its efforts to trample civil liberties than to protect them. The courage of these legislators to do the right thing regardless of the political consequences not only has mitigated some of the worst assaults on our freedom, but on occasion have led the charge for Oklahoma to be more free and more just than it was before their service.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma and the national ACLU have filed suit on behalf of several Oklahomans challenging the constitutionality of the state’s Ten Commandments Monument.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma today called for an OSBI investigation of the recent activities of the District Six Drug Task Force, and for criminal charges to be filed against members of Desert Snow, LLC, a private contracting company hired by Caddo County District Attorney Jason Hicks to help run drug interdiction stops of motorists along I-40 in exchange for a percentage of the Task Force’s profits.

Deisy Escalera--Latino Community Organizer, ACLU of Oklahoma--was born in Aguascalientes Mexico, raised in Oklahoma City. She is a student at the University of Oklahoma, former Miss Hispanic OU, Affiliate Lead for Dream Act Oklahoma, and in 2012 she was named one of Oklahoma's 10 Most Influential Hispanic Leaders.

“Today’s report from Anonymous Analytics only confirms what we have known in Oklahoma for sometime now; private prisons are a bad investment. Normally, I would say a business model that depends upon politicians making short-sighted, self-serving policy decisions would be a sound investment, but it is becoming more clear by the day that the private prison industry is a bad investment for states and shareholders alike. We urge policymakers to reconsider their appetite for private prisons and instead focus their attention on actual criminal justice reforms that make us safer and protect our tax dollars.”

“Today is a great day for America. The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, violates the Constitution’s guarantee of Equal Protection brings our nation one step closer to true equality. Likewise, the Court’s ruling on California’s Prop 8 makes marriage equality a reality for the people of California and sets the stage for marriage equality to become the law of the land. We know today’s victories do not mean an end to Oklahoma’s hateful law that stands in the way of love, nor do they mean an end to other discriminatory laws that target Oklahomans for nothing more than who they love. But these decisions do send a powerful signal to the LGBT community in Oklahoma and their friends and loved ones that change is coming, history will vindicate our struggle, and the day is not far off when we will more fully realize the promise of our Constitution. The ACLU of Oklahoma stands ready with our allies to ensure that day arrives with no delay.”

By Ryan Kiesel, Executive Director, The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma Foundation