"They that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin
terror alert 
Patriot Act II
If you already know about the Patriot
Act, Contributing Editor Susan Bright suggests sending the following
e-mail to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee by simply clicking
on this link http://www.voice4change.org/stories/mailJudiciary.asp
"Do it now! It only takes about 30 seconds. The most important
thing is
that we let them know that we will not surrender any more of our civil
liberties. Please forward and repost the link to this form as widely
as
possible... We are out front on this, lets not wait for Ashcroft to
send
this legislation to the Hill, lets stop it NOW!" - SB
Below is the message you will be sending to the Senate
Judiciary Committee:
++++++
Subject: Repeal the Patriot Act -- Do Not Expand It!
Dear Senator,
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, you have an obligation
to
oversee the Justice Department. The Patriot Act was rushed through
Congress without the serious and thorough public and congressional
debate that such sweeping legislation demands. Now we read reports
that
the Justice Department, under the leadership of a right-wing extremist
attorney general, John Ashcroft, has prepared legislation that would
further erode the freedoms of American citizens. We urge you to protect
our civil liberties by rejecting the Domestic Security Enhancement
Act
of 2003.
According to David Cole, a Georgetown University professor of law,
the
Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 would "radically expand
law
enforcement and intelligence gathering authorities, reduce or eliminate
judicial oversight over surveillance, authorize secret arrests, create
a
DNA database based on unchecked executive 'suspicion,' create new
death penalties, and even seek to take American citizenship away from
persons who belong to or support disfavored political groups."
Such a radical and extremist subversion of the Constitution would
pose an imminent
threat to the freedom and personal security of the American people.
The Attorney General and the Justice Department should be subjected
to
intense congressional scrutiny. The Congress should investigate the
Justice Department and the Attorney General to determine the genesis
of
this legislation. Fear and an atmosphere of crisis are being used
by the
administration to force legislation through Congress without adequate
public debate. It appears likely that this new legislation will be
proposed after the United States initiates a war of conquest against
Iraq. In the ensuing fear and patriotic hysteria, it will be difficult
for Congress to undertake its grave responsibility to protect the
people
from the authoritarian designs of the Bush administration. Ashcroft
should be called to the Hill immediately to answer the fundamental
questions raised by this new legislative proposal. Congress must act
now
to protect us from the Bush administration's wholesale assault on
American liberty. Time is of the essence.
City councils around the country have already passed resolutions
rejecting provisions of the Patriot Act. It is time for Congress to
act
responsibly. As our representative, it is your duty to protect and
defend our constitutional liberties. Congress should move to repeal,
not
enhance, the Patriot Act, which undermines our liberty and democracy.
Congress must oppose legislation that would supplant the American
idea
with the apparatus and authorities of a police state.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
Respectfully Submitted,
(Your name here)
http://www.voice4change.org/stories/mailJudiciary.asp
To learn more follow the little blue links.
Domestic
Security Enhancement Act of 2003
"The Center for Public Integrity has obtained a draft, dated
January 9, 2003, of this previously undisclosed legislation and is
making it available in full text (12 MB). The bill, drafted by the
staff of Attorney General John Ashcroft and entitled the Domestic
Security Enhancement Act of 2003, has not been officially released
by the Department of Justice, although rumors of its development have
circulated around the Capitol for the last few months under the name
of “the Patriot Act II” in legislative parlance."
Here are some things we can all do, some information
we need.
- SB
1. Bigger
Monster, Weaker Chains, The Growth of an American Survellance Society
takes you to an ACLU site and automatically downloads a report about
surveillance and the Patriot Ac
2. This analysis from the Electronic Privacy Information Center
EPIC, Patriot
II, section by section -- is chilling!
3. Here's another analysis of what is happening to our civil liberties:
A guide to the provisions
of the USA Patriot act
4. (this anti-war action is from Kurt Kosted -- it's from the 101
ways to
stop war I sent out the other day) Send 400 emails all at once
to UN
members, the US government and the Canadian government:
<g-macagainstwar@mcmaster.ca.>
This service has been set up by the good folks at McMaster University
Science for Peace.
I did this yesterday & I'm still getting responses from all
over the
world. I just clicked on the link & typed, "Oppose War In
Iraq" in the
subject line. It only took 10 seconds to send an e-mail to 400 people.
Do this - It works. This is Anti-War Hardcore Armchair Activism at
it's
finest.
+++++++
Bill Moyer's stands out as a unique voice of reason in these trying
times. Go to the NOW
site for his views on the Patriot Act. Learn everything you can. There
will always be a quiz. - Pleas
eaglebonewhistle.com
