Providing a broad overview of civil rights – ranging from dildo use to the death penalty – American Civil Liberties Union President Nadine Strossen told about 60 students Wednesday night to protest when their rights are violated.
“ACLU’s mission is to defend all fundamental freedoms for all people, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation and other pigeonhole categories,” said Strossen, a New York Law School professor. “We believe in the theory of inherent natural rights. We had those rights and we created a government to protect our rights.”
Giving detailed accounts of specific Supreme Court cases and armed with an arsenal of statistics, Strossen tailored her speech with a perspective focused on student rights.
“There are laws against rights, like the anti-dildo law that makes it a crime to buy a dildo even if a psychologist or therapist prescribes it for therapeutic reasons,” Strossen said. “The government said it has a legitimate interest in anything with ‘prurient autonomous sex’ – in other words the court couldn’t say (masturbation).”
Strossen was elected president of the ACLU in 1991 and became the first woman to head the nation’s largest and oldest civil liberties defense organization. She gives more than 200 public presentations a year, including visits to foreign countries and more than 500 college campuses, according to the ACLU Web site.
“I’m sorry for the other 7,000 people on this campus who missed out,” said Howard Lien, a Weinberg sophomore and co-president of the fledgling Northwestern ACLU chapter. “We really need to educate and inform students about the issues. For me, personally, I didn’t know about some of these issues. With some issues, like the dildo law, that’s insane. There’s a lot of information the students need to know about.”
In addition to student rights, Strossen said equality between the sexes has “a long way to go.” The constitution’s interpretation is an issue that needs careful attention and understanding, she said.
“In 1776 this notion of human rights for everyone was an aspiration,” Strossen said. “But of course, reality lay shockingly behind. The impact of a few outspoken individuals dramatically changed lives and liberties.”
Arriving a half-hour before her speech, Strossen sat down and talked to students interested in the civil rights cause. She encouraged participation in the audience and stayed after her lecture to answer questions.
“I’m a lawyer, and so much work has to be done outside,” Strossen said, addressing ACLU’s work ethic. “We never lose a case. We have truth and justice on our side and the
courts just sometimes make a mistake.”
With nearly 300,000 members, the ACLU is a nonprofit organization that depends largely on individual contributions.
Following the speech, students could sign up to join the newly formed NU chapter, which will soon host events such as a lecture by Medill Prof. David Protess, who has helped overturn eight wrongful convictions since the 1980s.
“I’m thrilled there is going to be a student chapter of ACLU,” Strossen said. “If you look at statistics of college-age students, only 25 percent think it’s important to be aware of public affairs. It’s good to energize people, and most people become concerned when you can show how action effects change.”
Students such as Weinberg sophomore Meredith Krevitsky agreed.
“I’m glad Strossen came to speak to the NU community,” Krevitsky said. “ACLU and what it stands for needs to be expressed on this campus where people don’t talk about these issues. I’m a proud card-carrying member.”
