Michael Ratner, RIP (Rest in Power)
Michael Ratner, a friend of EFF who dedicated his life as a human rights attorney to fighting for justice, passed away on Wednesday.
Michael was a staunch defender of civil liberties, forging new pathways for using the court systems and advocacy to fight for justice. As the president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a formidable social justice attorney, Michael crossed paths with EFF around Wikileaks and related whistleblower cases, among others. CCR was our co-counsel in the early NSA spying cases. But more importantly, Michael was one of our legal heroes, unafraid to use law and lawsuits to try to address human rights problems in the U.S. and around the world. We have modeled our EFF litigation approach, in part, on the strong work he did. Michael's many-decades career was colored by his commitment to human dignity, and he fought to ensure that we had a government accountable to the people--and that those who opposed government overreach would be protected and defended.
As an author, attorney, thought-leader, activist, speaker, and friend, Michael helped further the civil liberties movement and inspired hundreds of others both in the law and outside of it. We at EFF will miss him dearly, and mourn his loss.
Michael lived the life many of us dream of living. He used his 72 years on earth as a tool for good, and he used his intellect and his courage to fight for justice, even in the most vexing of cases. He died having accomplished more to create positive change in the world than most people ever dream to create. His legacy is a democratic society that is stronger because of the dissent, transparency, free speech, and tolerance that he helped nourish.
Michael's death is a reminder that our lives are too brief to waste on the sidelines. The threats to liberty have not abated. Our society still suffers from privacy invasions, speech restrictions, and government surveillance, while those who work to shine a light on these problems often face disproportionately harsh penalties. Such battles will not be won by those who excuse themselves from the fight, who eschew politics, fear controversy, or grow cynical and exhausted in the face of mounting pressure. Now more than ever, we need those who can live with Michael's courage. In honor of Michael's lifetime of advocacy, we reaffirm out commitment to bringing lawsuits and otherwise taking a stand to defend civil liberties. Michael may have left us, but the work will continue.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just three days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Michael Ratner, a friend of EFF who dedicated his life as a human rights attorney to fighting for justice, passed away on Wednesday.
Michael was a staunch defender of civil liberties, forging new pathways for using the court systems and advocacy to fight for justice. As the president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a formidable social justice attorney, Michael crossed paths with EFF around Wikileaks and related whistleblower cases, among others. CCR was our co-counsel in the early NSA spying cases. But more importantly, Michael was one of our legal heroes, unafraid to use law and lawsuits to try to address human rights problems in the U.S. and around the world. We have modeled our EFF litigation approach, in part, on the strong work he did. Michael's many-decades career was colored by his commitment to human dignity, and he fought to ensure that we had a government accountable to the people--and that those who opposed government overreach would be protected and defended.
As an author, attorney, thought-leader, activist, speaker, and friend, Michael helped further the civil liberties movement and inspired hundreds of others both in the law and outside of it. We at EFF will miss him dearly, and mourn his loss.
Michael lived the life many of us dream of living. He used his 72 years on earth as a tool for good, and he used his intellect and his courage to fight for justice, even in the most vexing of cases. He died having accomplished more to create positive change in the world than most people ever dream to create. His legacy is a democratic society that is stronger because of the dissent, transparency, free speech, and tolerance that he helped nourish.
Michael's death is a reminder that our lives are too brief to waste on the sidelines. The threats to liberty have not abated. Our society still suffers from privacy invasions, speech restrictions, and government surveillance, while those who work to shine a light on these problems often face disproportionately harsh penalties. Such battles will not be won by those who excuse themselves from the fight, who eschew politics, fear controversy, or grow cynical and exhausted in the face of mounting pressure. Now more than ever, we need those who can live with Michael's courage. In honor of Michael's lifetime of advocacy, we reaffirm out commitment to bringing lawsuits and otherwise taking a stand to defend civil liberties. Michael may have left us, but the work will continue.
Michael Ratner, a friend of EFF who dedicated his life as a human rights attorney to fighting for justice, passed away on Wednesday.
Michael was a staunch defender of civil liberties, forging new pathways for using the court systems and advocacy to fight for justice. As the president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a formidable social justice attorney, Michael crossed paths with EFF around Wikileaks and related whistleblower cases, among others. CCR was our co-counsel in the early NSA spying cases. But more importantly, Michael was one of our legal heroes, unafraid to use law and lawsuits to try to address human rights problems in the U.S. and around the world. We have modeled our EFF litigation approach, in part, on the strong work he did. Michael's many-decades career was colored by his commitment to human dignity, and he fought to ensure that we had a government accountable to the people--and that those who opposed government overreach would be protected and defended.
As an author, attorney, thought-leader, activist, speaker, and friend, Michael helped further the civil liberties movement and inspired hundreds of others both in the law and outside of it. We at EFF will miss him dearly, and mourn his loss.
Michael lived the life many of us dream of living. He used his 72 years on earth as a tool for good, and he used his intellect and his courage to fight for justice, even in the most vexing of cases. He died having accomplished more to create positive change in the world than most people ever dream to create. His legacy is a democratic society that is stronger because of the dissent, transparency, free speech, and tolerance that he helped nourish.
Michael's death is a reminder that our lives are too brief to waste on the sidelines. The threats to liberty have not abated. Our society still suffers from privacy invasions, speech restrictions, and government surveillance, while those who work to shine a light on these problems often face disproportionately harsh penalties. Such battles will not be won by those who excuse themselves from the fight, who eschew politics, fear controversy, or grow cynical and exhausted in the face of mounting pressure. Now more than ever, we need those who can live with Michael's courage. In honor of Michael's lifetime of advocacy, we reaffirm out commitment to bringing lawsuits and otherwise taking a stand to defend civil liberties. Michael may have left us, but the work will continue.