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Thank you for subscribing to the Civil Rights Newsletter published by BellaOnline´s Civil Rights area (the well-known corner of the web where EVERYONE can discuss civil rights civilly, where EVERYONE can find resources and links to articles and sites that deal with cutting edge civil rights issues in many areas of daily living, and where EVERYONE is a member of a family where (wo)men can discuss hot topics of the day without having to worry that it is “off limits” in polite company)!

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What‘s New?

Freedom Of Speech, Gag Rules, Gag Orders, And Gagged Critics
First Amendment aficionados should respond to "gagging" with raised hair in the back of the neck. Those not affected by slavery or the Mexico City Policy should take note that free speech is still abridged today.

The second article in a series examining the scope (and limitations) of our freedom of speech.

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This Week In Civil Rights History

On January 07, 1955, African American contralto Marian Anderson performed as Ulrica in a Verdi opera at the New York City Metropolitan Opera. It is noteworthy that Ms. Anderson was just 16 years earlier barred from performing at Washington’s Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

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Civil Rights Trivia Game

Last week‘s quiz solution:

Question:
A constitutional amendment providing an extension of women’s rights failed to be ratified in 1982 since it lacked the support of the requisite number of states. What is the name of this amendment?
Answer:
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Unfortunately, we had no winners last week. But there is always this week’s quiz!

This Week’s Question:
What is the name of the United States president who achieved the highest ever approval rating of 91%?

Rules:
If you know the answer, please e-mail me. All who answer correctly, will see their names published in the next newsletter. (Sorry, no other tangible prizes yet!)

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Civil Rights News You Can Use

Finding a religion? Michael Newdow, famous atheist and protector of god-less school children everywhere is again working on ridding our public school pupils from having to recite that pesky Pledge of Allegiance with its “god” reference...“Atheist Joins Others to Sue Over Pledge“.

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Featured Book Of The Week

Please consider reading Lewis Lapham’s work in which he argues that “voices of protest been so locked out of the mainstream conversation, so marginalized and muted by a government that recklessly disregards civil liberties, and by an ever more concentrated and profit-driven media in which the safe and the salable sweep all uncomfortable truths from view”:

Gag Rule: On the Suppression of Dissent and Stifling of Democracy

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Civil Rights For Kids

Martin Luther King Jr. day will be celebrated on 01-17, and it is important that our children know about this hero of the civil rights movement. Please make some time with your child(ren) to visit The Martin Luther King Jr. Project. A fascinating website with curriculum lessons complete with handouts!

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Musing Of The Week

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. (Aesop ~550 BC)

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Be sure to visit BellaOnline´s Civil Rights area for even more great content about Civil Rights. To participate in fun online discussions, this site has a bulletin board all about Civil Rights that you can visit! I would especially like to direct your attention to the discussion about Attorney General John Ashcroft on the Erosion of our National Unity which seeks to define Freedom of Speech in times of gagging.

I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either on the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!

BTW, feel free to pass this message along to family and friends!

Sylvia Cochran, Civil Rights Editor
https://civilrights.bellaonline.com