Premiere Screening of Greenwald's "Unconstitutional" in Knoxville and Nashville on Tuesday, 9/14

The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) will host the Tennessee premiere of "Unconstitutional," the latest groundbreaking documentary produced by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Greenwald, in Knoxville and Nashville on Tuesday, September 14, 2004.

In Knoxville, the film will be shown at 7:00 p.m at The University of Tennessee Law School in Room 132. A panel discussion will follow at 8:00. Panelists include Mike Whalen, criminal defense attorney, Dr. Otis Stephens, professor at University of Tennessee Law School, and Steve Cook, assistant United States District Attorney for the Eastern Tennessee Office. Benjamin Pressnell, attorney and member of the ACLU-TN Board of Directors, will moderate the panel. The Knoxville event is free and open to the public.

In Nashville, the film will be shown at 7:00 p.m.at The Belcourt Theater at 2102 Belcourt Avenue. A panel discussion will follow at 8:00 p.m. Panelists will include Ms. Zaineb Elberry, TN liaison to Arab-American Institute; Mohammed Ibrahim of the Kurdistan Cultural Institute; David Lubell of the TN Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition; Dr. Amir Arain of the Islamic Center of Nashville; and Eli Richardson, anti-terrorism coordinator at the US Attorneys Office for Middle Tennessee. Dr. Vatsal Thakkar, member of the ACLU-TN Board of Directors, will moderate the panel. Cost for the Nashville screening and panel ;discussion is $5.00.

Unconstitutional" boldly explores the constitutional and legal problems resulting from the USA PATRIOT Act while showing the devastating human impact it has had on families, immigrants, and citizens. Included are interviews with ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero and a diverse cross section of people, including Vincent Cannistrao, former director of the CIA's counter-terrorism operations and Sam Hamoui, whose parents and sister were detained under Attorney General John Ashcroft's "Absconder Apprehension Initiative;" Anne Turner, Librarian at Santa Cruz Public Library; and Bob Barr, former Republican Congressman from Georgia.

By focusing on the personal stories of real people, Greenwald aims to reveal how paranoia, fear and racial profiling have led to gross infringements on freedom and democracy without strengthening national security.

For more information, please call the ACLU-TN Office at (615) 320-7142.