Friday, October 29, 2004
Community meeting on concerns about Patriot Act intrusions
"About two dozen residents from Edgewood and surrounding communities had a chance earlier this month to find out how the USA Patriot Act could affect their rights. They learned why neighboring Wilkinsburg council passed a resolution last year calling for federal agencies to work through local government when taking actions under the Patriot Act." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports here.
Uncle Sam Is Watching You
"In October 2003, Congress voted to end Total Information Awareness (TIA), a Pentagon plan designed to analyze vast amounts of computer data about all of us in order to search for patterns of terrorist activity. At the time, the vote in Congress seemed one of the most notable victories for privacy since September 11. Computers record virtually everything we do these days— whom we call or e-mail, what books and magazines we read, what Web sites we search, where we travel, which videos we rent, and everything we buy by credit card or check. The prospect of the military and security agencies constantly trolling through all of this information about innocent citizens in hopes of finding terrorists led Congress to ban spending on the program." The New York Review of Books has this article.
Adviser in Lindh Case Sues Justice Dept.
"A former Justice Department lawyer who says she was forced out of her job in 2002 after raising legal and ethical objections over the handling of the John Walker Lindh case in Afghanistan sued the department on Thursday for taking 'illegal retaliatory actions' against her. In a federal lawsuit, the lawyer, Jesselyn Radack, accused Justice Department officials of destroying internal e-mail messages that spelled out her concerns about the Federal Bureau of Investigation's interrogation of Mr. Lindh after he was captured with the Taliban in late 2001." The New York Times has this account.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Bush Aide Calls Criticism of Patriot Act Uninformed
"A senior Bush administration official defended the Patriot Act on Tuesday as a 'smart, ordinary and constitutional' tool in fighting terrorism and rejected attacks on it as rash and misinformed. The comments by James B. Comey Jr., the deputy attorney general, coming in a speech before the American Bar Association on the third anniversary of the passage of the act, offered a preview of what is likely to be a fierce fight in Congress next year over its future." The New York Times reports here.
ACLU Renews Call for Strong Civil Liberties Board
"The American Civil Liberties Union today renewed its call to lawmakers to ensure that a strong civil liberties board is created and government openness is maintained as the House, the Senate and the White House seek to hammer out a compromise on intelligence reform legislation. The 9/11 Commission specifically called for those provisions, and though they were included in the Senate bill, the administration and the House leadership have vehemently opposed their inclusion in the final intelligence reform legislation." ACLU.org has this press release.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
ACLU blasts 'Secure Flight' plans
The Washington Times reports: "The American Civil Liberties Union Tuesday slammed the latest version of the airline passenger screening system for effectiveness and privacy concerns. The 'Secure Flight' system is the successor to the Computer Assisted Passenger Screening System, or CAPPS II, that was scrapped for a variety of problems. The new program is supposed to be tested in November and December."
Judicial review required
"Federal courts have occasionally erred in handcuffing congressional or executive initiatives to defeat global terrorism since September 11 — for example, endowing illegal combatants captured in Afghanistan, indistinguishable from Nazi soldiers taken prisoner during the Battle of the Bulge, with a right to challenge the constitutionality of their detentions in federal courts. But Congress, the president and local authorities have been equally if not more guilty of gratuitously compromising civil liberties and of slipshod counterterrorism legislation." The Washington Times has this commentary.
Investigators say Ashcroft's Patriot Act speeches were lawful
The Boston Globe reports: "Attorney General John Ashcroft did not violate antilobbying laws when he gave a series of speeches last year promoting the antiterror Patriot Act, Justice Department internal investigators have concluded.
Monday, October 25, 2004
On USA PATRIOT Act's Third Anniversary Volume of Anti-PATRIOT Act Resolutions Dwarfs the Act Itself
"WASHINGTON -- October 25 -- Since President Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act into law on October 26, 2001, 355 communities, four states, and hundreds of organizations including the American Library Association and the National League of Cities have registered their opposition to sections of the Act and to what they see as a general erosion of civil liberties since 9/11. To mark the Act's third anniversary, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC) is sending President Bush a full set of the resolutions and ordinances opposing it." The Bill of Rights Defense Committee issued this press release.
Debate rages on: ‘I am a civilian, so why am I being tried in a military court?'
"U.S. NAVAL STATION, GUANTÁNAMO BAY, Cuba -- Chained to a chair before three judges in a fortified detention camp, the man in the orange jumpsuit and flip-flops smiled nervously when a U.S. military officer called him an 'enemy combatant.' The man is charged with being a member of al-Qaida. The proof? That his name appeared on a list in a senior al-Qaida member's computer, though the list had no heading." Newsday has this article.
US Muslim leaders call for "protest vote" for Kerry
"DETROIT, Michigan, Oct 24 (AFP) - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has received the backing of leaders of the estimated seven-million-strong Muslim-American community, but the endorsement was lukewarm at best." TurkishPress.com has this article.
ACLU sues FBI over Muslim interviews
"The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the FBI, trying to get more information about the agency's questioning of Muslims and Arabs as it investigates the possibility of pre-election terror attacks. The ACLU suit, filed Thursday, is seeking internal documents under the Freedom of Information Act to find out whether the government is protecting the constitutional rights of the subjects of its unannounced interviews at homes, workplaces and mosques." CNN reports here.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Does John Ashcroft Understand the Constitution?
"Learning that the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld the rights of habeas corpus, right to counsel, and due process of law in the Yaser Hamdi, Jose Padilla, and Shafiq Rasul cases, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft commented, 'The Supreme Court accorded to terrorists, in a variety of cases this week, a number of additional rights.' Ashcroft’s lament raises an important question: Does the attorney general of the United States understand the nature and meaning of the Constitution?" The Future of Freedom Foundation has this commentary.
Walking the thin line between protecting and losing liberty
"It is often a thin line between keeping the country secure and infringing on civil liberties, an audience at Willamette University was told Thursday." The Statesmen Journal has this account.
Council: Review not repeal PATRIOT Act
The Beverly Citizen reports: "Those hoping to send a strong message to Washington via Beverly City Council were disappointed, this week. City Councilors voted down a resolution opposing the PATRIOT Act Monday, replacing it with a resolution of their own. Their version asked Congress to review the law by April 2005 - a mere eight months before the federal government's slated to revisit the controversial act anyway."
NYPD to Destroy GOP Protest Fingerprints
"NEW YORK - The city has agreed to destroy hundreds of fingerprints taken from protesters arrested at this summer's Republican National Convention, the New York Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday. The destruction of the fingerprints comes two weeks after the legal rights group filed two lawsuits challenging the routine fingerprinting of protesters accused of misdemeanors, NYCLU executive director Donna Lieberman said." The AP reports here.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Anti-Patriot Act resolution by Library wins approval
The Westford Eagle reports: "Residents at Special Town Meeting voted Monday to support the J.V. Fletcher Board of Library Trustees resolution protesting Sections 215 and 218 of the USA Patriot Act. These sections of the act allow the federal government to seize and inspect borrowing records and Internet research histories of library patrons, as well as borrowing databases associated with a particular publication."
B.C. legislature passes privacy amendments aimed at Patriot Act protection
"The provincial government passed a bill Tuesday aimed at protecting British Columbia residents from the long arm of the USA Patriot Act. However, NDP MLA Joy MacPhail said the Liberal government rammed through a bill that fails to stop American officials from accessing private data on B.C. residents that might be held or managed by subsidiaries of U.S.-based firms." CNews reports here.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
The Accidental Terrorist: The burgeoning new legal category of "enemy combatant lite."
"Last Monday, the U.S. Defense Department spit out Yaser Esam Hamdi like a piece of bad meatloaf—deporting him to Saudi Arabia with the agreement that he renounce his U.S. citizenship and never visit or harass the United States again. Now back in Saudi Arabia, Hamdi says he was innocent all along. Following a serious smackdown from the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2004—which ruled that he could not be held without some measure of due process—neither the Defense Department nor the Justice Department could digest the hard, chewy lump that was Hamdi any longer. After nearly three years of detention and interrogation in the Tower of Charleston, err ... the Charleston, S.C., naval brig, Hamdi was sent packing." Slate.com has this commentary.
Homeland security--A global assault on anonymity
"To show why the government's terrorist-finding database doesn't work, Elizabeth LaForest points to her own case file: While her arrest records are authentic, these days the 89-year-old Roman Catholic nun doesn't often run afoul of the law when taking part in peace demonstrations. So Sister LaForest joined the American Civil Liberties Union this year to sue the state of Michigan, charging that a controversial law enforcement data-sharing program there was breaking the state's privacy laws." Tech Republic has this article.
Civil liberties trio says theirs were denied
"Medford teacher Tania Tong never imagined that a few words on a T-shirt would propel her onto the national political stage. Tong, 34, and two other local women were escorted out of President George Bush’s rally in Central Point Thursday because they wore T-shirts that stated, 'Protect our civil liberties.'" The Mail Tribune reports here.
Congress Divided on Intelligence Bills
"With House-Senate negotiators scheduled today to start resolving major differences in two bills to restructure the nation's intelligence community, the White House has criticized key portions of each plan and left some lawmakers wondering how they can meet a self-imposed deadline of finishing the work before the Nov. 2 election." The Washington Post has this article.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Walpole TM rejects Patriot Act resolution
The Daily News Transcript reports: "WALPOLE, Mass. -- Town meeting voters last night handily rejected a resolution calling on residents to voice their objections to sections of the Patriot Act the resolution authors said are 'unconstitutional.' Town Meeting representatives Philip Czachorowski and Paul Peckham presented the joint resolution in hopes of informing their neighbors about a number of items in the Patriot Act they said they and others in the country see as being detrimental to the freedoms provided by the U.S. Constitution."
‘Muslim critique of Patriot Act legitimate’
"WASHINGTON: The treatment of Muslims under the USA Patriot Act is similar to 'the treatment of Japanese-Americans during World War II', said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Robert T Bennett." Pakistan's Daily Times has this account.
Board decries Patriot Act
The Yale Daily News reports: "In a nearly unanimous decision Monday evening, the New Haven Board of Aldermen passed a resolution condemning both the USA Patriot Act and the proposed Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as The Patriot Act II."
Protesters can't be searched based on terror fears
"Fear of a terrorist attack is not sufficient reason for authorities to search people at a protest, a federal appeals court has ruled, saying Sept. 11 'cannot be the day liberty perished.' A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously on Oct. 15 that protesters may not be required to pass through metal detectors when they gather next month for a rally against a U.S. training academy for Latin American soldiers." The AP reports here.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Civil Liberties, Three Years After 9/11
Elaine Cassel writes: "The hottest topics in the current presidential campaign are the Iraq war and the 'war' on 'terrorism'. It is disappointing how glibly Kerry has adopted the Bush administration's campaign against 'terror' and has not critically examined its premise. Of course, to do so, would be political suicide. Any politician who speaks out against the war on terrorism and how it is a war on citizens and civil rights, will risk being called a terrorist or a traitor. Senator Russell Feingold, the only Senator to vote against the un-Patriotic Patriot act and one of the few who voting against the Iraq war, is fighting for his political life in Wisconsin."
Patriot Act redux?
"With Election Day fast approaching, it was only a matter of time before the usual congressional shenanigans that typically punctuate the political season. This time, politicians appear to have seized on what could be called the Patriot Act strategy, drafting antiterrorism legislation in secret and then ramming it through the Senate and House of Representatives with minimal debate. Then it's back to the home districts to boast how they protected voters from the bad guys." CNETNews.com has this commentary.
Patriot Act criticized, defended at UAH forum
"A University of Alabama in Huntsville student from India had a short story Sunday for the five-member panel discussing the often-controversial Patriot Act. 'In India, mothers who have kids and need to keep them quiet, tell their kids, 'A tiger is coming!' And that gets them real quiet,' he said." The Huntsville Times has this article.
Q&A on resolution opposing provisions of US Patriot Act
"The following are questions and answers concerning the resolution issued by the J. V. Fletcher Library in opposition to provisions of the US Patriot Act. Why would the Board of Library Trustees bring this resolution before Town Meeting?" The Westford Eagle has this account.
Civil liberties T-shirts trigger 'alarm'
"Janet Voorhies said she was curious to see how Republicans would react when she and two other women showed up at President Bush's Central Point rally wearing T-shirts stating 'Protect Our Civil Liberties.' She got her answer before the president even spoke. The three women were ejected from the rally and escorted from the Jackson County Fairgrounds by state police officers who warned them they would be arrested if they tried to return." The Oregonian reports here.
Thong-clad anti-Bush protesters escape fine
The Toronto Star reports: "HARRISBURG, Pa.—Prosecutors have dropped charges against six men arrested for protesting the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal by stripping down to their thong underwear and forming a human pyramid during a visit by President George W. Bush."
Friday, October 15, 2004
The Patriot Act at Work
"Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, both Congress and the Bush Administration examined the legal tools available to investigators and prosecutors in the fight against terrorism. What we found was disturbing and in some cases appalling." U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl has this editorial here.
Another look at the Patriot act
"The USA Patriot Act, enacted quickly in the aftermath of September 11 to enhance the government's ability to gather intelligence on suspected terrorists, contains broad reaching authority that has generated much controversy. Among the many provisions of the Act which changed federal law are provisions for access to personal information about individuals without the former strictures of obtaining a search warrant upon a showing to a court that there is probable cause that the suspect in involved in criminal activity. In addition to interception of communications or records of such communications, some of the other controversial provisions that affect privacy rights are important to know about." The Montgomery County Sentinel has this article.
Hamdi Says He's Not an Enemy Combatant
"RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- A Saudi-American released after being held by the U.S. military for three years in solitary confinement without charge said in an interview broadcast Thursday that he cooperated with his jailers, calling himself 'an innocent man.'" The AP reports here.
Privacy Eroding, Bit by Byte
"First there were security cameras, sprouting like mushrooms on street corners and buildings. Then came shopper cards, offering discounts in exchange for details about buying habits.... Now comes the news that federal regulators on Wednesday approved the injection of microchips under the skin, enabling physicians with the right gear to know who someone is without having to ask." The Washington Post has this analysis.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Thomas: Caucasian columnist outraged at being detained at airport
Cal Thomas writes: "Ted Kennedy and I have something in common. We are both on airline lists as potential terror suspects."
Feingold, Michels clash on Patriot Act stances
The La Crosse Tribune reports: "Military and homeland security issues dominated the U.S. Senate campaign Tuesday. U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., campaigned in La Crosse with veterans who support his re-election. Republican Tim Michels is running new TV ads showing images of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City, criticizing Feingold for his vote against the USA Patriot Act."
Flipping out over Patriot Act
"In last Friday's town hall debate, whenever President Bush called Sen. John Kerry a 'liberal,' Kerry said it was time to move beyond labels. I think most Americans would agree with Kerry on that point. Pigeonholing people into the increasingly meaningless categories of 'liberal' and 'conservative' and then demonizing one side enables talk-show hosts to remain relevant. But how do these people deal with the millions of Americans who can't be placed into such a simplistic box? How would they deal with Bob Barr?" The Indianapolis Star has this op-ed.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Why the Court Was Right to Declare a USA Patriot Act Provision Dealing with National Security Letter Procedures Unconstitutional
"In late September, a federal district judge in New York, Victor Marrero, ruled that a key component of the USA Patriot Act is unconstitutional. The ruling made headlines, for it is the first to strike down any of the vast new surveillance powers authorized by the Act. The provision at issue is Section 505 of the USA Patriot Act. It allows the FBI to demand certain information about customers and subscribers from email and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) -- without any judicial oversight or public review." FindLaw.com has this article.
Patriot Act tour carried a hefty price tag
"He may not have trashed any hotel rooms, but US Attorney General John Ashcroft spent over $200,000 of taxpayers' money in a four-week, 31-city tour last year promoting the controversial USA PATRIOT Act, according to a report by Congressional auditors released Tuesday." The UK Register has this article.
USA Patriot Act forum to be held in Huntsville
The Huntsville Blog reports: "(Huntsville, Ala.) -- A public forum about the USA Patriot Act will be held in Huntsville on Sunday, Oct. 17 at 2:30 pm at Roberts Hall on the University of Alabama Huntsville campus."
The PATRIOT Act explained: part two
"Title II: Enhanced Surveillance Procedures - Amends the Federal criminal code to authorize the interception of wire, oral, and electronic communications for the production of evidence of: (1) specified chemical weapons or terrorism offenses; and (2) computer fraud and abuse." Part Two of The Cibola County Beacon Online's report on the Patriot Act.
How the PATRIOT Act could affect Cibola County
"The full name of this piece of legislation is the 'Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USAPATRIOT)' Act. It consists of 10 'titles' covering not only terrorism but crime in general, and settles everything from funding the FBI's Technical Support Center to expanding presidential and law enforcement powers." The Cibola County Beacon Online reports here.
Reining in the FBI
"The recent decision by a federal judge in New York striking down the use of what are called 'national security letters' represents an important judicial check on a dangerously uncontrolled FBI power. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero's ruling might be vulnerable on appeal, but it identifies real problems in a procedure that allows the bureau to demand certain types of business records in national security investigations without a clear mechanism for court oversight and in total secrecy. Rather than appealing, the Bush administration should ask Congress to address the problems the judge identifies." The Washington Post has this editorial.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Proposition 69: Crime fighting tool or invasion of civil liberties?
"California State Proposition 69 on November's ballot could assist law enforcement when DNA fingerprinting is done on all people convicted of any felony, but opponents say that's going too far and the current system is good enough. Currently, people convicted of serious felonies, like rape and murder, provide DNA samples to submit to California's Department of Justice database. The proposition would expand the collection of DNA samples for all convicted felons and some nonfelons." The Times-Standard reports here.
Patriot Act, preemptive force here to stay
FortWayne.com reports: "The Bush doctrine of preemptive defense and the much-criticized Patriot Act apparently will remain in place no matter who wins the White House. That's because John Kerry, one surmises after reading poll numbers, has decided that opposition to either can't help him win the presidency. In fact, it might make that task more difficult."
B.C. privacy amendments no match for U.S. Patriot Act
"The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) says the Gordon Campbell government is wrong in claiming that amendments to privacy laws will protect British Columbians if their medical and financial records and other personal information are handed over to U.S.-linked companies." National Union has this article.
Patriot Act Panel Prompts Crossfire Over Civil Liberties
"Passions flared and opinions clashed over the USA Patriot Act Saturday evening in an event in Filene Auditorium examining the legislation's impact on American civil liberties. Sponsored by the College's legal studies program in conjunction with a local branch of the international writers' group PEN, the evening consisted of a keynote address by Rep. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a series of readings by Vermont poet laureate Grace Paley and a six-member panel of experts who mostly opposed the Patriot Act." The Dartmouth Online reports here.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Bush, Kerry Consider Civil Liberties Unimportant
"The Bush administration's 'anti-terrorism' policies have come increasingly under fire from civil libertarians across the political spectrum, but the subject of civil liberties has not become a major issue in this year's presidential campaign, leading some to question John Kerry's position as well as whether Bush will act to remedy the rights violations brought on by his policies." Anti-War.com has this article.
Friday, October 08, 2004
Patriot Act needs curbs
"Federal judges are punching holes in the USA Patriot Act, a sweeping measure passed in haste by Congress in the weeks immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Yet Congress seems oblivious to what the judges are doing. Instead of fixing the problems, some federal lawmakers are bent on expanding the act." The Poughkeepsie Journal contains this op-ed.
Attorney General Ashcroft touts Patriot Act in return to home city
"SPRINGFIELD -- Attorney General John Ashcroft acknowledges that the Patriot Act is controversial among some Americans. However, he sleeps better because it is in effect, he told Rotarians and their guests on Thursday. Ashcroft was the lunch speaker at the weekly meeting of Springfield Southeast Rotary Club." KY3 News reports here.
Arrests of Bush protesters seem to have no legal merit
"I will give the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office this much: The sight of a bunch of pasty-looking guys forming a pyramid while wearing nothing but their skivvies on a hot day is pretty offensive. But is it illegal? The district attorney thinks so. A group of Lancaster County men who call themselves the 'Smoketown Six' would beg to differ. So would I." Philly.com has this article.
Prosecutors Won't Pursue Cases of 227 in Disputed Protest
"The Manhattan district attorney's office said yesterday that it would not prosecute cases against 227 protesters who were arrested in one of the most disputed demonstrations of the Republican National Convention, saying it would be difficult to prove that the protesters had deliberately defied orders. The decision effectively throws out one of the largest group arrests to occur on Aug. 31, the second day of the convention, when nearly 1,200 people were arrested around the city." The New York Times reports here.
Judges Take Second Look at E-Mail Privacy Decision
"A court decision that civil libertarians argue could have a far-reaching effect on the privacy of Internet communications in the United States will be reviewed again by federal judges in Boston. The ruling, handed down by a panel of three federal judges in June, found that e-mail service providers may divert and read their customers' messages without restriction." Tech News World has this article.
Spyware Bills Win House Approval
The Washington Post reports: "Two bills designed to curb the proliferation of Internet 'spyware' took another step toward law this week with overwhelming approval from the House of Representatives, but supporters said they face a tough race against the clock to get Senate approval before Congress disperses for the November elections." The Washignton
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Secret Rule Requiring ID for Flights at Center of Court Battle
"John Gilmore, a tech-industry millionaire and privacy advocate, set out two years ago to challenge a basic element of airline security. On July 4, 2002, he refused to show a photo identification when checking in at Oakland, Calif., for a flight to Baltimore on Southwest Airlines. The same day, he declined United Airline's demand to present an ID for a flight from San Francisco to Washington. In both instances, Gilmore, 49, was prohibited from boarding and was informed by the airlines that a federal security rule required passengers to show an ID in order to fly. However, no airline employee could cite the rule." The Washington Post has this article.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Even conservative Craig would amend Patriot Act
The Idaho State Journal reports: "Idaho Sen. Larry Craig and the American Civil Liberties Union supporting the same legislation? What's going on? Just over a year ago, Craig introduced the Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act (S.1709) to amend some of the more draconian measures of the Patriot Act, which was rushed to enactment in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks."
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
John Kerry’s Dark Record on Civil Liberties
"For John Kerry, the specter of Attorney General John Ashcroft trashing Americans’ civil liberties has been a useful campaign prop. In campaign stops, Kerry has promised to 'end the era of John Ashcroft and renew our faith in the Constitution.' In a Kerry administration, he promised the liberal group MoveOn last year, 'there will be no John Ashcroft trampling on the Bill of Rights.' In his 2004 campaign book, A Call to Service, Kerry accuses Ashcroft and the Bush administration of 'relying far too much on extraordinary police powers.'" Reason magazine has this article.
Lawyer wrongly arrested sues government
"The Portland lawyer who was mistakenly arrested by the FBI in the Madrid train bombings sued the US government yesterday, claiming his rights were trampled on because of his Muslim faith. Brandon Mayfield, a 38-year-old convert to Islam, is seeking unspecified damages as well as a ruling that key provisions of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional." The AP reports here.
The Issues: Patriot Act
"Mary Lieberman saw exactly how the Patriot Act might be abused when she was the director of a church-based group in Knoxville helping Iraqi refugees. 'An agent from the FBI came into my office and said, 'Let me look at all your files of all your Iraqi-born clients,'' said Lieberman." CBS News has this report.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Can government be its own watchdog?
"One of George W. Bush's strengths is what you see is what you get — unlike John Kerry's expensively attired shifting personae. But civil liberties concerns ring in Bush's tin ear, as reflected by his enthusiastic support of John Ashcroft and the Patriot Act. A recent example is his executive order establishing the President's Board on Safeguarding Americans' Civil Liberties — following the recommendation of the Sept. 11 Commission." Jewish World Review has this Nat Hentoff column.
Civil-liberties issue in the background
The Boston Globe reports: "Despite three years of outcry from activists who say the Bush administration has been sacrificing basic individual rights in the name of preventing terrorism, other issues in the presidential campaign have drowned out the protection of civil liberties."
Crisis trims civil liberties
"I had a different column ready. Spent quite a bit of time writing it. Then I accompanied my friend Margaret to the Robert Greenwald film "Unconstitutional," by Nonny de la Pena. After the film, we heard members of the Hamoui family, Seattle residents imprisoned for ten months after the USA Patriot Act was passed at the end of 2001, and featured in the film. The documentary and the event afterward opened my eyes. The column I wrote earlier suddenly seemed a waste of your time and the Empire's space." The Juneau Empire has this column.
Geneva schools write Patriot Act into records policy
"What goes in a student's permanent record can also get into the hands of law enforcement - without the consent or notification of students or their parents. Many people probably don't even realize the USA Patriot Act affects student records, Geneva District 304 school board member Tricia Stewart said. So when the board discussed mandated changes to its student records policy, Stewart wanted to make sure that came across." Chicago's Daily Herald reports here.
Friday, October 01, 2004
New reforms threaten civil liberties
"Momentum is growing for efforts to dramatically reorganize the U.S. intelligence community in the few weeks left before Congress adjourns. But while there has been much arcane debate on budgetary authorities, one important aspect of the reform proposals has gone largely unnoticed: the serious threat they pose to civil liberties." Newsday has this op-ed.
Digitizing the Bill of Rights
"The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from conducting 'unreasonable searches' of our 'persons, houses, papers, and effects' without a warrant. The First Amendment, of course, protects our right to free speech." The Washington Post has this article.
