New Zealand inventor Richard Pearse flew before the Wright Brothers

1920 was a good year for Liberty. The US followed in New Zealand’s footsteps – just like they did with flight, nuclear physics, bungee jumping and the paperclip, kiwi fruit and sweet potatoes – and gave women the right to vote. And pacifist Roger Baldwin founded the ACLU.

This year, the American Council on Civil Liberties returns to Burn with us:

The ACLU will again be in Black Rock City to help educate participants about their civil rights. If you have a question about how to comport yourself if you find yourself in a law enforcement investigation, check with the ACLU. It’s always smart to know your rights–both on and off-playa. The ACLU Liberty Lounge will be at Foxglove and 4:45.  Opening Hours are from Monday-Saturday from 2-6 PM with presentations at 5 pm

Showing the police that you know your rights, can make the police more cautious about violating your rights. If you give up your rights, then those rights can no longer protect you.

You have more rights than just the right to remain silent, and the right to an attorney!  You don’t have the right to one phone call, that’s a Hollywood myth. But anything you say can and WILL be used against you in court.

Liberty, freedom – that’s what it’s all about. The rights we have in this country are a blessing, and if too many people are ignorant of them, they could all too easily disappear.

You should know your rights:

The ACLU is one of the better institutions we’ve got going, to fight back against the forces of tyranny – like the Electronic Frontier Foundation defending us in cyberspace, and the Sea Shepherd Society putting their lives on the line to defend our oceans.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defends legal cases involving the violations of civil liberties. It is a staunch supporter of the rights laid out in the Constitution and its amendments. 

ACLU Founder Roger Baldwin

The basic goals of the ACLU are to protect the original Constitutional Rights of United States citizens as outlined in the Constitution and the 27 Amendments. Of particular, although certainly not exclusive interest, are the first ten amendments, which are referred to as the Bill of Rights. These ten amendments protect our basic freedoms, such as freedom to assemble, freedom of speech, etc. The Encyclopedia Britannica states the primary three areas of concentration for the ACLU as: “freedom of expression, conscience, and association; due process of law; and equality under the law”.

During the first years of existence, the Civil Liberties Bureau had a close relationship with the Communist Party, but by 1940 co-founder, Roger Baldwin, became disenchanted with it and removed the communist members from the board of the ACLU. The ACLU continues to have a reputation as being a leftist organization, but in fact, it defends people all along the ideological spectrum from ultra-conservative to ultra-liberal if it determines that their civil liberties are being infringed upon.

The ACLU publishes a guide on What To Do If You’re Stopped by Police: http://bit.ly/Qyb4Am

The former director of the ACLU has created FlexYourRights.org, part of the broader Libertarian movement:

Flex Your Rights has become a familiar name among freedom-lovers across the nation and beyond. We’ve produced two hit films, reached over 19 million viewers online, appeared on FOX News, written for major publications, and had the privilege of working alongside the greatest civil libertarians of our generation. Above all, we’ve helped make know-your-rights education a central part the broader movement for liberty and justice in America.

The Jacked Rabbit would have you buy a DVD from them, and by all means do that, but if you want to keep your money in your pocket, then Burners.Me has your back:

Some great, no bullshit advice here that everyone should know. Keep your mouth shut, Darryl! You have nothing to gain and everything to lose from escalating your tone, consenting to searches of your person or vehicle, or resisting in any way other than verbally.