Episode list

"Freedom to Marry" features three couples who are part of a lawsuit in Maryland seeking to overturn state law that bars same-sex couples from marriage. Despite being in committed relationships, they lack the hundreds of legal protections afforded to heterosexual married couples, and must worry about how to look after their families without these protections. In courageously taking their fight for civil liberties to the public arena, these couples seek to change a system that unfairly harms same-sex couples and their families. Takia Foskey and Jo Rabb had a commitment ceremony four years ago but have none of the protections of straight married couples. When Jo was rushed to the hospital because of a health emergency, the doctor wouldn't let Takia in the room or tell her what was happening. Takia and Jo are also forced to rely on social services for medical care for their son, who has asthma, because Jo's job as a bus driver for the state will not provide health insurance for her family. Lisa Kebreau and Mikki Mozelle have been together since 2002 and are raising three children, ages 1, 2 and 17. Scenes of Lisa and Mikki at home with their kids show a loving family like any married couple's-the only differences are the way they are treated under the law, and the vulnerability that the family would face if Lisa or Mikki fell ill or died.

"Freedom to Vote: Protecting the Ballot" examines new voter ID initiatives that could disenfranchise millions, and shows how ordinary people and their elected representatives are trying to preserve the constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. The program focuses on legislative efforts in Georgia and Texas to require all prospective voters to present government-issued photo identification, though such rules would create barriers for low-income, elderly and disabled people. Nationwide, 16% of the nation's elderly voters and 25% of African Americans do not have current government-issued IDs. While supporters of photo IDs say the goal is to eliminate voter impersonation, such fraud is extremely rare, and many believe the initiatives are aimed at diluting Democratic votes.

When it comes to caring for children, a loving, stable home with responsible adults is what matters most. Yet in some states, gay men and lesbians are prohibited from adopting or serving as foster parents, and many other states have attempted to enact similar bans. "Freedom to Parent" reveals how these restrictions wreak real harm on the children they are supposedly designed to "protect." The program follows the progress of an Arkansas bill aimed at preventing gay people from fostering or adopting children, and goes behind the scenes to introduce viewers to individuals whose lives would be directly affected. Devon Bearden, a 15-year-old honors student, lives with her grandmother, Randi Romo, because her mother is very ill. The ban would prevent Romo, a lesbian, from adopting Devon if Devon's mother died, even though the girl has flourished under her grandmother's care. They decide to speak out against the discriminatory bill, which not only threatens to tear their family apart but also would exclude an entire pool of prospective parents from caring for the state's most vulnerable children.

"Freedom to Dream: Rights of Immigrants" focuses on local ordinances being introduced in small towns across America that seek to curb illegal immigration and end up fostering a climate of xenophobic fear. By punishing landlords and business owners who rent to or employ undocumented immigrants, these ordinances violate the Constitution, which extends protections to all people in this country and makes the federal government responsible for regulating immigration. In towns where such rules have been proposed, anti-immigrant sentiment has surged, as politicians accuse "undesirables" of everything from burdening social services to stealing jobs. Minorities-even those here legally-have been harassed, and many have been forced to leave the towns they loved and helped to revitalize. In this program, people in Hazleton, Penn., and Farmers Branch, Texas, talk about how they have worked hard to be responsible, productive members of their communities, and why they chose to fight for immigrants' rights. Running Time 29 Minutes

Freedom from Abuse of Power: Torture and Unlawful Imprisonment illustrates how Americans' all-important right to due process is being eroded, and how torture and extraordinary rendition are being illegally used by our government in the "war on terror." The history of habeas corpus is outlined, and we see how time-honored protections against arbitrary imprisonment are being undermined. A former CIA official discusses the origins of extraordinary rendition, and describes how the practice expanded after Sept. 11 to include torture and brutal interrogations ordered by the U.S. and conducted in foreign prisons.