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WHEREAS, Witold J. "Vic" Walczak, Legal Director of the Pennsylvania Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, is celebrating 20 years of distinguished service to the ACLU; and
WHEREAS, Walczak is a strong voice locally and nationally for the advancement of civil liberties issues as diverse as freedom of expression, immigrants' rights, criminal justice, and religious liberty, including the nationally reported Kitzmiller v. Dover School District "intelligent design" case; and
WHEREAS, Walczak is recognized by his peers as an outstanding lawyer, being the recipient of the Federal Lawyer of the Year Award from the Federal Bar Association's Western Pennsylvania Chapter in 2003, as well as an exemplary Legal Director whose efforts to preserve basic constitutional rights have directly benefited people throughout the Commonwealth and specifically within the City of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Walczak is recognized for his ability to communicate effectively and convincingly the mission of the American Civil Liberties Union through national news media including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the National Law Journal, National Public Radio, and major television news broadcasts; and
WHEREAS, Walczak's understanding of the importance of civil liberties results from his experiences as the son of a Polish Holocaust survivor and his personal observations of the Polish Solidarity movement in 1983, where he witnessed the realities of the suppression of free speech and state-sanctioned violence.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize Witold J. "Vic" Walczak's outstanding contributions to the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare March 18, 2012 to be "Vic Walczak Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.