The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado has presented
The nonprofit presented the Herald with its Larry Tajiri Media Award, which is given occasionally, saying the newspaper has “thoughtfully and continuously covered issues related to homelessness, as well as endorsed death penalty repeal every year.”
“Additionally, The DurangoHerald has kept elected officials accountable through their leading investigative journalism,” the ACLU wrote in a program explaining why it was presenting the Herald with the award.
In a speech at the dinner, Ballantine praised the ACLU for upholding the constitutional rights of panhandlers and homeless residents. The ACLU challenged the city of Durango’s former rules on panhandling as being too restrictive, which prompted the city to rewrite its rules. “The ACLU has rightly been emphatic – no one can be denied a place to sit, stand or sleep,” Ballantine said.
He added: “Where and how panhandling could legally take place was the topic of conversation for some time.
“Much of those conversations were ‘constructive,’” he said to laughter. Comments about the ACLU are not always favorable.
The ACLU is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nationwide organization with the stated mission to “defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
