The Seattle University chapter of the NLG is hosting a legal observer training on Wednesday, November 13th, at 6:30 PM. The event will be at Seattle University School of Law in room C5. This is a great way to learn about getting more involved with the Guild and to learn about how to help protect people's rights at demonstrations

In lieu of our regular meeting this month, we'll be hosting an event featuring Steven Goldberg from Portland NLG at the UW Law School. The event will be in room 117 at 6:30 PM. The talk is called: “Roadblocks to Justice: How Courts Have Evaded Ruling on the Legality of the ‘War on Terror’” In 2006, a challenge to the NSA warrantless surveillance program was filed by an Islamic charity in southern Oregon, the Al Haramain Islamic Foundation. A ruling by U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker holding the government liable, and awarding over $2.5 million in damages and attorney fees, was ultimately overturned by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, finding that the government was immune from suit under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Procedural defenses – state secrets privilege, sovereign immunity, qualified immunity, lack of standing – have repeatedly been used to insulate the government from suits challenging some of the government’s most egregious programs from warrantless surveillance to rendition to the use of drones to detentions at Guantanamo Bay. What viable strategies can be used to allow challenges to such programs to proceed? How does this tie into the current NSA spying revelations?

The Seattle Chapter of the NLG is pleased to be a co-sponsor of the Social Justice Film Festival. On October 10-13, the Social Justice Film Festival will screen 60 films and documentaries in Seattle exploring social justice subjects around the world, with a special focus on prisoner justice. See http://socialjusticefilmfestival.org/home We are especially pleased to host the U.S. premiere of Tula The Revolt, a new film with Danny Glover. The film is about a historical slave uprising in Curacao in 1795, during a time of rising consciousness and revolt against slavery in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Mr. Glover will join us for the premiere, followed by a Q&A with the director. Mr. Glover will also speak about prisoner rights and our current justice system. The premiere takes place October 13, 4 p.m., at the Cinerama Theater in downtown Seattle. The link to the trailer is http://www.tulathemovie.com/movies/trailer/ We are committed to supporting the Social Justice Film Festival and will match $ for $ up to $1000 in contributions. If ten people decide to donate $100 each, we will be able to raise $2000 for the festival. Please join us in making the festival a success. Please let us know if you can contribute. Deductions are tax deductible.

For timing issues, the September chapter meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 11th at 6:30 p.m. at Seattle University Law School.  Join us!

Please join the Seattle Chapter at a potluck picnic/BBQ at Seward Park, space 2, starting at 5:30pm. The space is near the entrance of the park, near the lake.