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SPOTLIGHT ON CIVIL RIGHTS
SABA-NC Sponsors Two Civil Rights MCLEs: **SIGN UP TODAY** SABA-NC, along with BASF, is sponsoring two MCLEs on issues related to civil rights. These talks are free for non-profit attorneys. All other SABA-NC members can sign up for the MCLEs at reduced rates. Ashcroft v. Iqbal: The Impact on Civil Rights Litigation
This event is co-sponsored by the Asian Law Caucus, the Sikh Coalition, and BASF. In Ashcroft v. Iqbal, the Supreme Court held respondent to a heightened pleading standard when alleging facts sufficient to overcome qualified immunity when suing a state official for violation of his constitutional rights. Legal and civil rights experts will speak to the impact of this recent decision on civil rights litigation. Are the concerns overstated, or is Iqbal proving to be an obstacle for civil rights plaintiffs?
Speakers:
Harmeet Dhillon, Partner, Dhillon & Smith, LLP
Harsimran Kaur, Legal Director, Sikh Coalition
Julia Harumi Mass, Staff Attorney, ACLU-NC
Paul Grewal, Partner, Howrey, LLP
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 12-1:30PM BASF Conference Center 301 Battery Street, 3rd Floor, San Francisco 1.5 hrs. of MCLE credit Restorative Justice in the Context of Post 9/11 Hate Crimes
This event is co-sponsored by the Asian Law Caucus and BASF. Since and before September 11th, South Asian, Arab, and Muslim communities have been subject to an increasing number of hate crimes. Although progressive organizations have stood together to protect these communities, there is significant disagreement as to a solution. While some have fought for a “tough on crime” response to hate crimes and advocated for hate crimes legislation, many criminal justice advocates question whether expanding the tentacles of the current criminal justice system, which already results in the staggering incarceration of people of color and poor people, is the correct answer. This is an opportunity to learn more about hate crimes legislation, prosecution, and alternative solutions.
Speakers: Ash Kalra, San Jose City Council Member and former public defender Angela Chan, Staff Attorney, Asian Law Caucus Victor Hwang, SF Deputy District Attorney, Hate Crimes Unit
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 6-7:30PM Bingham McCutchen LLP 3 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco 1.5 hours of MCLE credit
To register, click here. |
RECENT NEWS
Defendants Found Guilty in Lake Tahoe Hate Crime Against Indian-American On Friday, March 12, 2010, a federal jury convicted Joseph and Georgia Silvia for their role in a vicious racially-motivated attack on Vishal Wadhwa, an Indian American, while he was visiting El Dorado Beach in Lake Tahoe. He and two friends were called “Indian garbage,” “terrorists,” and “relatives of Osama bin Laden” by the couple before he was brutally assaulted. After deliberating for 90 minutes, the jury returned with guilty verdicts for the couple, convicting them of federal hate crimes. In response to the light sentences the Silvas received under state prosecution, SABA-NC, along with a number of other groups including the Asian Law Caucus and the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (“AABA”) urged federal law enforcement officials to get involved in the case to ensure the Silvas were brought to justice. On March 5, 2009, a federal grand jury indicted the Silvas on federal civil rights charges. The verdict on Friday was the culmination of that indictment. To read SABA-NC's full press release regarding this case, click here.
Oregon Repeals Law Banning Religious Dress for Public School Teachers
The Oregon legislature recently repealed a law banning religious dress for public school teachers. In early February, SABA-NC joined other Bar associations, civil rights organizations, and interfaith alliances to urge the Oregon legislature to repeal ORS 342.650 and 342.655, Oregon laws that forbid teachers from wearing religious dress in Oregon public schools. Led by the Sikh Coalition, SABA-NC and our community partners/allies signed a letter requesting that the Oregon legislature revisit these discriminatory laws. The letter expressed our contention that the banning of religious dress for public school teachers amounts to a violation of equal opportunity to religious minorities and cannot be reconciled with the values of religious freedom espoused by this nation.
SABA-NC Condemns Anti-Immigrant, Racist Act On January 13, 2010, SABA-NC, along with a coalition of other civil rights groups and organizations, submitted a letter to Congressman Barrett (R-SC) condemning his proposed bill, the “Stop Terrorists Entry Program Act of 2010” (“STEP”). STEP would result in the deportation of all Iranian, Syrian, Cuban, Sudanese, and Yemenis citizens on student visas, temporary work visas, exchange visas, and tourist visas from the United States within 60 days of passage. It would also make it illegal for these individuals to travel to the United States. Like racial and ethnic profiling, this type of national origin profiling sends the public message that discrimination against certain individuals or communities is sanctioned by the state. If passed, STEP will have a detrimental, lasting impact on all Americans, including the innocent individuals and families who are targeted. SABA-NC urged Rep. Barrett to withdraw the Act from consideration. To read the letter, click here. |
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