Representatives from the Douglas County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union led a panel discussion Monday night at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt.

The discussion touched on the importance of the Internet in democratizing information, the status of the now-dropped ACLU lawsuit against the federal government over some aspects of the Patriot Act, the erosion of separation of powers and other topics.

The forum, called “Sacrificing Civil Liberties For Security: Do We Risk Both?” attracted a packed house at the library. National ACLU board member David Burress, attorney Bob Eye, Kansas University law professor Michael Hoeflich, KU political science professor Burdett Loomis and state Board of Education member Bill Wagnon sat on the panel.

Journal-World city editor Mike Shields served as moderator.