Thursday, June 30, 2005
Can This Patriot Be Trusted?
An opinion piece in the Reporter-Herald declares, "The problem with some of the debate over extension of the USA Patriot Act is that the public and members of Congress cannot trust the information that federal agencies are telling them."
Survey Reflects Concerns About Insufficient Civil Liberty Safeguards
According to a recent poll, "Overall, the U.S. public continues to give the Bush administration and law enforcement fairly high marks in preventing terrorist attacks in the United States. However, there is still public concern about how surveillance powers are being used by law enforcement."
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
US Suspected of Keeping Secret Prisoners on Warships
Agence France-Presse is reporting that "The UN has learned of 'very, very serious' allegations that the United States is secretly detaining terrorism suspects in various locations around the world, notably aboard prison ships, the UN's special rapporteur on terrorism said."
IRS Orders Review of ChoicePoint Contract
"The Internal Revenue Service said Tuesday it has ordered a full security review of a $20 million (euro16.5 million) contract awarded to ChoicePoint Inc., a data broker under fire for a security breach that let criminals gain access to its database of personal information." AP reports here.
U.S. Military to Expand Lockups in Iraq to Hold 16,000 Detainees
"The U.S. military said it plans to expand its prisons across Iraq to hold as many as 16,000 detainees, as the relentless insurgency shows no sign of letup one year after the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqi authorities." AP reports here.
Town Says Patriot Act Lets Stations Bar Homeless
Newsday reports: "The USA Patriot Act allows the government to find out which books and Internet sites a person has seen. It also lets investigators secretly search someone's home and monitor people's phone calls and e-mail, all in the name of fighting terrorism. Now, a New Jersey town being sued for kicking homeless people out of a train station claims the Patriot Act allows it to do that as well."
'Many Muslims 'Illegally Detained' after 9/11'
"Reportedly, a number of Muslims have been detained illegally following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in the US," reports Zaman Online.
Prying into Young Lives
"It's no secret that the U.S. military faces a challenge in meeting its recruitment goals as troops are sent to Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world to keep the peace and combat terrorism. So it makes sense that the Pentagon would want to use effective marketing methods to attract men and women to sign up for the armed forces. But we, like many others, think the U.S. Defense Department has gone too far in contracting with a private company to establish a database that contains personal information on high school students ages 16-18, college students and people who have registered with the Selective Service." The Battle Creek Enquirer has this commentary.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Patriot games
"Much of the Patriot Act is innocuous, while controversial parts such as 'sneak and peek' are not up for review." Newsday has this editorial.
Obama's Stand Against Patriot Act Cheered
"To the cheers of thousands of librarians, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama on Saturday called for the Senate to rewrite the USA Patriot Act to prevent investigators from scanning library records and bookstore sales slips." AP reports here.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Pentagon Developing Massive Database on Millions of U.S. Students
"The Pentagon is working with a private company to create information dossiers on millions of young Americans to help identify college and high school students as young as 16 to target for military recruiting." Democracy Now speaks with the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Center and Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA).
Friday, June 24, 2005
Tough Questions: The Patriot Act and the Press
"In a report released on Monday to widespread mainstream media silence, the American Library Association reported that domestic law enforcement authorities have instigated more than 200 requests for information from libraries since October 2001, the month the Patriot Act was hurriedly passed and signed into law." The Center for American Progress has this commentary.
Age 16 to 25? The Pentagon Has Your Number, and More
The NYTimes reports: "The Defense Department and a private contractor have been building an extensive database of 30 million 16-to-25-year-olds, combining names with Social Security numbers, grade-point averages, e-mail addresses and phone numbers."
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Driving Big Brother
Wired reports: "The government plans to release new rules for controversial car black boxes this summer, according to a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."
Good-bye To American Libraries
"Since the first Patriot Act became LAW, and we were told about the 'invasion' of libraries and the 'danger' of being targeted depending upon which books we have been reading, my personal choice was to not visit libraries at all." Al-Jazeerah has this op-ed.
Librarians Can Be Patriotic, Too
"Librarians are not known for fueling dissent, but they're on target in criticizing a provision of the 2001 USA Patriot Act that allows easy access to their records by federal agents." The Christian Science Monitor has this editorial.
Healthy debate on Patriot Act
"An important debate took place last week on the floor of the U.S. House, as members of Congress wrestled with how much power to give FBI agents and other federal investigators looking for terrorist-related activities." The West Roxbury & Roslindale Transcript has this opinion.
The Patriot Act's worth keeping (if we rein it in and scrutinize it)
"The issue: The USA Patriot Act. Should Congress amend it, fully extend it or end it?" USA Today has this discussion between conservative columnist Cal Thomas and liberal strategist Bob Becker.
Critics: What's so Patriotic about the Act?
"Legislators, the ACLU and League of Women Voters blasted the USA Patriot Act yesterday and urged Bay State lawmakers to support a resolution promoting a scaled-down version of the controversial antiterrorism measure." The Boston Herald has this article.
New Report by Florida Immigrant Advocacy Coalition on 9-11 Civil Liberties
The Florida Immigrant Advocacy Coalition on 9-11 Civil Liberties has released a new report that provides a comprehensive examination of policies and practices that affect refugees and immigrants across the country, documents how their lives have changed and offers recommendations for changes to ensure that our safety and basic civil rights remain intact.
Pentagon Creating Student Database
The Washington Post reports: "The Defense Department began working yesterday with a private marketing firm to create a database of high school students ages 16 to 18 and all college students to help the military identify potential recruits in a time of dwindling enlistment in some branches."
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Science, Not Secrecy: Impeding research doesn't enhance homeland security
"The rising tide of government mandated secrecy in the United States imperils rather than protects us from terrorist attacks, argues the American Civil Liberties Union in its report Science Under Siege released on Tuesday." Reason has this article.
Patriot Reauthorization Act should be shot
"In its current form the Patriot Act nullifies at least six articles of the Bill of Rights." Up & Coming Magazine has this op-ed.
'Enabling' the Patriot Act
"As a matter of fact, the German 'Enabling Act' of 1933 is remarkably similar to our current Patriot Act, which – according to an Associated Press release to the Portland Oregonian of June 4, 2005 – is currently up for revisions not only giving it expanded powers well beyond those it already has, but making it permanent, just like the German Enabling Act was made permanent." LewRockwell.com has this commentary.
Patriot Act vote harms Young's bid
"Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) has damaged and perhaps doomed his chances to become the next chairman of the Homeland Security Committee with his vote last week to limit the scope of the USA Patriot Act." The Hill has this story.
Social Security Opened Its Files for 9/11 Inquiry
The NYTimes reports: "The Social Security Administration has relaxed its privacy restrictions and searched thousands of its files at the request of the F.B.I. as part of terrorism investigations since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, newly disclosed records and interviews show."
Abu Ghraib, Rewarded
"It is nice that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his team feel as if they have achieved closure on their prisoner abuse issues and are ready to move on. The problem is, they are still in deep denial." The NYTimes has this editorial.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
W. House rebuffs independent probe of Guantanamo
"The White House on Tuesday rebuffed Democratic calls for creation of an independent commission to investigate treatment of foreign terror suspects at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba." Reuters reports here.
Educators Worry About Patriot Act's Effect on Recruiting
AP reports: "The heads of some Washington-area universities say the region is losing some of its top international talent to other countries, in large part because of barriers imposed by the Patriot Act."
LOCAL COMMENT: PATRIOT ACT — Laws must keep up with advancements
"One of the most important purposes the USA Patriot Act has served is to update the law to keep up with technology. As Congress re-examines some provisions of the Act, these much-needed updates must be preserved." The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan has this commentary.
Fairfax Won't Condemn Patriot Act, but Will Voice Concerns in Letter
"Fairfax County last night refused to join a long list of local governments to formally oppose the expanded investigative powers granted to law enforcement agencies under the USA Patriot Act." The WashPost has this account.
Animal Rights Extremism a Priority for FBI
"Violence by environmental and animal rights extremists against U.S. drug makers has increased so much in recent years that it's currently the FBI's top domestic terrorism issue, a top agency official says." AP reports here.
Gov't. Collected Airline Passenger Data
AP reports: "The federal agency in charge of aviation security collected extensive personal information about airline passengers even though Congress forbade it and officials said they wouldn't do it, according to documents obtained Monday by The Associated Press."
Activists Worry as Bush Stumps for Patriot Act
"'The Patriot Act is a means of targeting immigrants under the guise of homeland security,' Kavitha Sreeharsha, staff attorney at the Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, asserted to India-West. 'Many studies show that airport security has not improved post 9-11.'" New California Media has this article.
History repeats itself with USA Patriot Act
"During the Cold War, the FBI had the authority to monitor the circulation records of any library in the nation if it thought a visitor from a communist country had checked a book out of that library." The Republican issues this editorial.
Guantánamo's Long Shadow
"WHEN Vice President Dick Cheney said last week that detainees at the American prison camp in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, were treated better than they would be 'by virtually any other government on the face of the earth,' he was carrying on what has become a campaign to whitewash the record of abuses at Guantánamo." The NYTimes has this op-ed.
Monday, June 20, 2005
McCain urges resolution of Guantánamo cases
"Arguing that "even Adolf Eichmann got a trial," Republican Sen. John McCain said yesterday that the Bush administration must establish a system to try and perhaps free suspected terrorists from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba — even if they turn around and attack the United States." Knight Ridder reports here.
U.S. Libraries, Challenging FBI, Shape Debate on Patriot Act
Bloomberg.com reports: "When the American Library Association surveyed U.S. libraries for a report on the impact of the USA Patriot Act, it went out of its way -- far out of its way -- to house the information."
Libraries Say Yes, Officials Do Quiz Them About Users
"A new study commissioned by the American Library Association adds grist to the growing debate in Congress over the government's counterterrorism powers." The NYTimes has this article.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Facts and documentation
"Around this nation and worldwide, not only are human-rights organizations documenting widespread abuses, including physical and psychological torture of what are euphemistically called detainees, but more reporters and editorial writers, including here at home, are exposing the administration's disintegrating cover-up of the egregious lack of accountability for these violations of our own laws and international treaties we have signed." Nat Hentoff has this op-ed in The Washington Times.
Ashcroft urges renewal of the Patriot Act
AP reports: "Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft urged reauthorization of the Patriot Act, saying the country deserves a law that will 'allow us to continue to fight terror and disrupt terror.'"
Congress Awakens
"WHILE THE BUSH administration and the courts have tangled over the perplexing legal problems of the war on terrorism, Congress has remained on the sidelines." The Washington Post has this editorial.
Halliburton given $30m to expand Guantanamo Bay
The Independent reports: "A subsidiary of Halliburton, the oil services group once led by the US Vice-President, Dick Cheney, has won a $30m (£16m) contract to help build a new permanent prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."
Friday, June 17, 2005
Padilla still waiting for his civil liberties
"The Supreme Court had grounds for declining this week to take up the case of Jose Padilla, an American citizen whom the Bush administration has locked up in solitary confinement without charge or trial since 2002, much of that time without access to a lawyer." The Rocky Mountain News has this article.
Connecticut city ordered to release aerial photos, maps
"The public has a right to peek into the privileged world of Greenwich through aerial photos and other records, despite concerns about privacy, crime and terrorism, according to the latest state Supreme Court ruling against the town." The First Amendment Center has this article.
Even if symbolic, vote on `library provision' testifies to concerns
"Most Americans are profoundly offended by the notion that the government could snoop on their reading habits -- and rightly so." The Mercury News has this editorial.
Kingston supports Patriot Act limits opposed by other Georgia Republicans
AP reports: "It's a rare day when Republican Jack Kingston, arguably the most conservative member of Georgia's congressional delegation, and Democrats John Lewis and Cynthia McKinney, arguably the most liberal, see eye-to-eye on a divisive issue."
Ex-Government Execs Pitch Patriot Act Deal
"A bipartisan group of former federal officials recommended Thursday an indefinite extension of the Patriot Act provision allowing agents to obtain business records, if Congress amends it to add a civil liberties protection." AP reports here.
Questions, Bitterness and Exile for Queens Girl in Terror Case
"The story of how it happened - how Tashnuba, the pious, headstrong daughter of Muslim immigrants living in a neighborhood of tidy lawns and American flags, was labeled an imminent threat to national security - is still shrouded in government secrecy." The NYTimes has this article.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
ACLU sues Denver police over 'spy files' investigation records
"The American Civil Liberties Union sued the police department on June 14 for records of internal investigations prompted by complaints the agency kept files on peaceful protesters." AP reports here.
Violations of Civil Liberties are an American Tradition
"It’s not surprising that the federal government is attempting to strip people of their fundamental rights and freedoms. During the last two centuries, this has been a common occurrence in America during a time of war." ZNET has this article.
Adding Privacy to the Constitution
"Legislation can't keep up with the myriad ways technology allows our personal info to be misused. Only an amendment can protect Americans." Business Week has this viewpoint.
Lawyer Says Military Tried to Coerce Detainee's Plea
The NYTimes reports: "A military defense lawyer told a Senate hearing on Wednesday that when military authorities first asked him to represent a detainee at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, he was instructed that he could negotiate only a guilty plea."
House votes to limit Patriot Act rules on library records
"The House voted Wednesday to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the anti-terror Patriot Act to search library and bookstore records, responding to complaints about potential invasion of privacy of innocent readers." USA Today has this account.
House votes to curb Patriot Act, defies Bush
Reuters reports: "The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday defied President Bush by approving a measure making it harder for federal agents to secretly gather information on people's library reading habits and bookstore purchases."
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders of Vermont: A BUZZFLASH INTERVIEW
"Congressman Sanders: The whole idea of the Patriot Act does concern me very, very much. We do have to be vigorous in protecting the American people from terrorism, but I do not believe that you have to undermine Constitutional rights in order to do so." Buzzflash has this interview with Rep. Bernie Sanders.
FBI Wiretap Finds Widespread Support for Patriot Act
"According to the results of an extensive FBI wiretap, Americans overwhelmingly support the Patriot Act and think the FBI should have even more power to listen in on their conversations, read their mail and follow their online interactions." The Swift Report has this satire.
Pavlov’s Dog and the Patriot Act
"In weighing whether the Patriot Act should be renewed, the Senate Intelligence Committee is recommending a modest (one might even say, a redundant) expansion of FBI investigative powers. So, as night follows day, Pavlov’s Dog, a.k.a. the ACLU, is drooling again." The National Review has this critique of the ACLU.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Patriot Act Push Angers Some on Right
"A closed-door vote by the Senate Intelligence Committee last week to expand law enforcement powers under the USA Patriot Act is prompting sharp criticism from some conservative leaders who are otherwise among the most vocal allies of President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress." The LATimes has this article.
U.S. Conservatives Join Opposition to Patriot Act Renewal
"Conservative groups have found common ground with the liberal American Civil Liberties Union in their opposition to the USA Patriot Act and pledge to wage a high-profile fight against it, claiming even its renewal is shrouded in secrecy." The Washington Times reports here.
Report: Terror Database Missing Some Info
"The government's new central database for terror suspects is missing names, and those omissions heighten the risk a terrorist could go undetected in the U.S., the Justice Department's inspector general says....Fine also found some names that were mistakenly included in the database." AP reports here.
Monday, June 13, 2005
How Liberty Dies: The Patriot Reauthorization Act
"Do our representatives understand how we feel? Or don’t they care? The recent approval by the Senate Intelligence Committee to reauthorize and expand the Patriot Act’s powers leaves one wondering if Congress listens to the American people anymore." John Whitehead has this commentary.
Immigration Law as Anti-Terrorism Tool
"In the past two years, officials have filed immigration charges against more than 500 people who have come under scrutiny in national security investigations, according to previously undisclosed government figures. Some are ultimately found to have no terrorism ties, officials acknowledge." The Washington Post has this article.
Court Tosses Passengers' Data-Disclosure Lawsuit
"Plaintiffs who claim an American Airlines affiliate illegally disclosed their personal information to federal officials and several private contractors have had their case dismissed by a federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas." Findlaw.com has this article.
Patriot Second Act
"Before reauthorizing the Patriot Act, Congress needs to demand and release sufficient information. And in revising the law, Congress should make it more transparent, so the public is not at the mercy of the administration's sense of openness." The Washington Post has this editorial.
Bush says those on 'front line' of terror fight rely on Patriot Act
"Separately, the president named members of an oversight board being created to make sure the government's counterterror investigations and arrests do not trample privacy rights and civil liberties." AP reports here.
False Dichotomy: Not renewing Patriot Act won’t hurt security
"President Bush implies that if the Patriot Act isn’t renewed intact, the fabled 'wall' between intelligence and law enforcement will be rebuilt with bigger bricks. We don’t believe it." The Monitor has this editorial.
Take My Privacy, Please!
"The Patriot Act ... may turn out to be among the lesser threats to our individual and collective privacy." Ted Koppel writes this op-ed.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
U.S. Campaign Produces Few Convictions on Terrorism Charges
"On Thursday, President Bush stepped to a lectern at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy in Columbus to urge renewal of the USA Patriot Act and to boast of the government's success in prosecuting terrorists....But the numbers are misleading at best." The Washington Post has this article.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Hearing on Patriot Act Ends in an Angry Uproar
"A hearing on the antiterrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act degenerated into chaos on Friday, as Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. called Democrats 'irresponsible,' gaveled the session to a premature close and stormed out of the room." The NYTimes has this account.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Bush Campaigns for Patriot Act Renewal
"President Bush campaigned anew Friday against any weakening of the Patriot Act, saying Congress must renew the counterterrorism law on behalf of those 'on the front lines' of the fight to avert new attacks." AP reports here.
Patriot Act Two Passed by Senate Intelligence Committee
"The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 11 to 4 in a closed door session on Tuesday to approve an expansion of the USA PATRIOT Act." Democracy Now hosts this debate on the Patriot Act between Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Harvey Eisenberg, and David Cole, professor at Georgetown Law School.
Lawmaker, Intelligence Chief Resolve Rift That Held Up Bill
The Washington Post reports: "A dispute that held up House consideration of the fiscal 2006 intelligence authorization bill this week ended late yesterday when the new director of national intelligence, John D. Negroponte, gave his word to Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) that he would meet with him before he transfers any Defense Department intelligence specialist to new duties."
Bush Urges Congress to Keep Patriot Act Intact
"'The Patriot Act closed dangerous gaps in America's law enforcement and intelligence capabilities, gaps that terrorists exploited when they attacked us,' Mr. Bush said in a speech at the Ohio State Patrol Academy in Columbus.'" The NYTimes has this article.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Transcript: President Bush on 'Your World'
"BUSH: I think that our FBI and Homeland Security people are working hand-in-glove to protect America on a daily basis. I was briefed on some of the particulars about the matter you just described. I can assure the America people that we're following every lead, that we're doing everything we can to keep us protected.
The best way to protect America is to keep on the offense and bust up these terrorist networks overseas by doing two things: one, committing our troops and intelligence services to the task, and also spreading freedom.
The way to defeat hatred and hopelessness in the long term is to lay foundations for peace by spreading freedom. So we've got a dual strategy that requires a lot of effort, a lot of sacrifice, but it's working.
CAVUTO: Do you suspect there are other such cells still operating in this country?
BUSH: You know, I don't know. I really don't know. The one thing I do know is that a lot of people are looking for them and that we're running down every possible lead, that we're doing a better job of sharing intelligence now between the CIA and the FBI as a result of the Patriot Act (search). That within the FBI, there is better intelligence-sharing. That there's a lot of really good people who are spending a lot of time on potential terror cells.
Today Mike Chertoff (search), who's the secretary for Homeland Security, and Director Mueller were in the Oval Office, briefing me about this group of folks in California.
I was very impressed by the use of intelligence and the follow-up. And that's what the American need to know, that when we find any hint about any possible wrongdoing or a possible cell, that we'll follow up — by the way, honoring the civil liberties of those to whom we follow up. In other words, we're just not going to pick up the telephone and listen to somebody without a proper court order. That's protecting the civil liberties of Americans." Fox News has a transcript of this interview.
Bush Urges Congress to Renew Patriot Act
"President Bush is pressuring Congress to renew the Patriot Act by highlighting the actions of Ohio police who helped catch a man accused of plotting attacks on the Brooklyn Bridge and a Midwest shopping mall." AP reports here.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
US Limits Prosecutions under Privacy Law
"The Justice Department has decided that most health care employees can't be prosecuted for stealing personal data under a privacy law intended to protect medical information." AP reports here.
Random search at airports ruled OK
The San Francisco Chronicle reports: "Airline passengers can be chosen at random for a full-body scan with a hand-held magnetometer to search for weapons or explosives, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday."
Senate Gives FBI More Patriot Act Power
"The FBI would get expanded powers to subpoena records without the approval of a judge or grand jury in terrorism investigations under Patriot Act revisions approved Tuesday by the Senate Intelligence Committee." AP reports here.
ACLU Disappointed with Patriot Act Expansion Bill Approved in Secret; Says "Administrative Subpoenas" Create End-Run Round Constitution
"Following reports that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today approved - behind closed doors - legislation designed to reauthorize and expand the Patriot Act, the American Civil Liberties Union expressed its disappointment with the secretive process and the end result that tramples on the Constitution." The ACLU issued this press release.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Lyme voters take aim at Patriot Act
The Pictorial Gazette reports: "It's been nearly one hundred years since the voters in this town have been asked to take sides in a national issue."
'Secret' Senate meeting on Patriot Act
"In a move that could expand the police powers in the Patriot Act, the Senate Intelligence Committee will meet behind close doors to discuss, among other things, 'a little-discussed provision to enlarge the FBI's ability to wiretap people who it suspects are national security threats.' The bill they will discuss is called the Patriot Reauthorization Act (PAREA)." The Christian Science Monitor has this article.
Q&A with Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General
"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales just passed a milestone, having completed his first 100 days in office." Jewish World Review has this interview.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Patriot Act fears
"New proposals would add unchecked police power and further erode civil liberties. If this doesn't keep you awake at night, it should." Florida Today has this editorial.
Bush to visit Ohio amid Patriot Act push
The Beacon Journal reports: "Bush's appearance Thursday will be his 38th visit to Ohio since taking office and his fourth since winning election to a second term in November. It comes amid a debate in Congress over renewal of the Patriot Act and whether to expand the FBI's power to seek records without the approval of a judge or grand jury."
Barred From the Long Haul
"The Patriot Act, passed by Congress after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has come under fire for broad issues involving civil liberties. But there are very specific and narrow problems with the act as well. One is a provision that was intended to prevent potential terrorists from being certified as truck drivers who could transport hazardous materials." The NYTimes has this editorial.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Animal Rights Activists Face Trial Under Terror Law
"New Jersey is using an anti-terrorism law for the first time to try six animal rights activists charged with harassing and vandalizing a company that made use of animals to test its drugs." Reuters reports here.
Trial to Reveal Reach Of U.S. Surveillance
"For a decade, FBI agents covertly monitored every telephone call and fax sent and received by Florida university professor Sami al-Arian as he communicated with alleged top leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group about its suicide bombings of Israelis, shaky finances and high-level turf struggles." The Washington Post has this article.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Liberty demands modifications to Patriot Act
"Congress should pass the SAFE Act, a sober compromise between the very real need to protect our security with the equally real need to protect our liberty." DailyBulletin.com has this editorial.
Patriot Act II?
"A broad right/left coalition is pushing Congress to revise the Patriot Act's more egregious provisions -- while we still can." In These Times reports here.
Sunset provision a vital safeguard in the Patriot Act
"There continues to be cause for concern with this sweeping law, which to an unprecedented degree grants the police and prosecutors wide-ranging powers to spy upon and even detain citizens suspected of aiding or abetting terrorism." The Muskegon Chronicle has this editorial.
Delayed Notification Searches Important to Nation's Safety
"It is expected that there will be a vigorous debate in Congress this year about those sections, plus one section not due to sunset but that nonetheless has been the subject of controversy both in and out of Congress. That provision, Section 213, pertains to 'delayed notification search warrants.'" The U.S. attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia has this op-ed.
Open door on Patriot Act
"WITH ALL the recent filibuster hype, the Senate Intelligence Committee had hoped to quietly retreat to a closed-door session to mark up and expand the so-called 'Patriot Act.'" The San Francisco Chronicle has this editorial.
Patriot Act Used to Shutdown Illicit Money Transfer Businesses
"A nationwide campaign by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents against unlicensed money transmittal businesses and underground “hawalas” has resulted in the arrest of 140 individuals, 138 criminal indictments, and the seizure of more than $25.5 million in illicit proceeds since the enactment of the USA Patriot Act, which requires such businesses to be licensed and registered." The Sierra Times has this article.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
DHS exec stresses privacy
"Writing protections for civil liberties and civil rights into the business rules of federal information sharing projects is a necessary step to ensure their viability, a top government official said last week." FCW.com has this account.
Court rules police may have gone too far in WTO protests
"A federal appeals court panel ruled Thursday that the city had a right to block off part of downtown Seattle when the 1999 World Trade Organization protests turned violent." AP reports here.
Can We Stop Zabasearch -- and Similar Personal Information Search Engines?
"Suppose there were a website that allowed you - at no charge -- to find out the following information for virtually any person in the United States: The addresses where he or she lived over the past ten years or so; what his or her phone numbers were (unlisted or not) over that same period; and what year he or she was born." FindLaw.com has this commentary.
Washington Library Tested by Patriot Act
NPR has this report "on a library system in northwestern Washington state that had its ethics tested when the FBI came to call."
Bushwhacking privacy
"OVER THE NEXT few months, the US government plans to roll out a series of initiatives to enhance the nation’s security, each carrying the potential to strip away more and more of your privacy in the name of protecting your liberty." The Boston Phoenix has this feature.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Patriot Act protections: A judge should continue to sign off on the secret searches.
"Americans never want to see another day like 9/11 occur on U.S. soil again. But increased security should not come at the cost of the Constitution, either. We aren't free if we aren't free." The Leaf Chronicle has this editorial.
YOU CAN EXPECT PRIVACY IN BED, EVEN IF IT'S NEAR THE FRONT DOOR
"A man's bed does not a threshold make, even if its occupant can open the front door while lying down in it, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday." The Daily Journal reports here.
US gov wants to refang Patriot Act
"The US Justice Department wants to obtain sensitive customer records from ISPs, according to the Associated Press. It is asking a court to overturn a ruling that struck down sweeping investigative powers in the Patriot Act as unconstitutional." The Register has this account.
Announcing a National Week of Action, July 2-8
From the Bill of Rights Defense Committee:
As Congress considers reauthorizing or amending portions of the USA PATRIOT Act that sunset on December 31, 2005, it is time for a national call to action to defend the Bill of Rights and restore our lost liberties.
Seven state legislatures and 378 local and county governments have passed resolutions or ordinances upholding the rights and liberties of their residents that have been threatened or abridged by the unwarranted provisions of the PATRIOT Act and other laws and policies applied indiscriminately and often secretly since September 11, 2001. Now is the time for all of us to renew our demands and build on our successes.
We have chosen the week of July 2-8 as a time for community coalitions to organize locally as part of a coordinated national series of events and to hold in-district meetings with their legislators during the July Fourth recess. Now, more than ever, we must use the power of our collective voice to restore our lost liberties.
How national organizations can help
We need your help to make Patriot Days of Action a success. We welcome your support in many forms: informing your members about it, holding press conferences, holding meetings with legislators, participate in telephone-based planning meetings, and posting a link on your web site. A button will be available for that purpose shortly. We invite national organizations to endorse the days of action. We will list endorsing organizations and their web sites on the "Patriot Days of Action" web pages and in press releases.
The rest of this message provides general information about the week of action and contains links to web pages for more information.
What is the week of action?
During the days surrounding July 4, 2005, we call upon everyone who is dedicated to protecting civil liberties to join with other members of their community to reinvigorate the national debate by taking local action. By holding or participating in events in your community, you can voice your concerns to your legislators, the public, and the press. Events can focus on education/entertainment, civic and multicultural activities, and lobbying. For a list of objectives, go to http://www.bordc.org/involved/objectives.php.
Timing
July 2-8, 2005: July Fourth weekend (July 2-4) is a good time to reclaim the spirit of Independence Day and celebrate America's founding principles of liberty and justice in your community. During the weekdays following July 4, while members of Congress are in their districts, we are asking participants to hold in-district meetings with their legislators to reinforce their concerns.
What are the main issues?
Concerns about threats to civil liberties are not limited to the USA PATRIOT Act but encompass a host of laws and policies that have provoked fears and that have harmed innocent people and families since September 11, 2001. Participants can focus on the threats that concern their community and connect them to local civil liberties abuses. Our broader message will be unified by a demand to uphold the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and to restore liberty and justice. BORDC will post talking points, fliers, and other resources on our web site soon.
How can I participate?
To encourage maximum participation and impact, we suggest events that are meaningful, but not difficult to organize. Representatives of several communities have helped us compile a menu of event suggestions: http://www.bordc.org/involved/menu.php. Additionally, the BORDC web site will soon include information on participating organizations, locations, and event schedules, as well as sample literature, press releases, and other helpful resources.
Please start planning by inviting organizations and individuals in your community to help put on one or more local events. Include your legislators in your plans - invite them to participate in a planned event, or make an appointment for a delegation to meet in their district office(s). Remember that the movement to defend civil liberties and basic American values is nonpartisan. Your work to build or reinvigorate a nonpartisan coalition to participate in the Patriot Days of Action will pay off in your community, in the press, in your legislators' offices, and ultimately in Washington, DC.
Help us Promote Your Planned Activities!
Submit information about your plans to us so we can list your event(s) on our website and include your community in press materials. Fill out our online form at http://bordc.org/involved/event_userform.php. The more locations and events involved, the greater the attention from Congress, the press, and the public.
Seeking Volunteers
If you have skills or experience you would like to contribute to making these days of action a success, please contact us at info@bordc.org, or via phone at 413-582-0110.
Nancy Talanian, Director
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Federal ID Act May Be Flawed
"A federal law designed to make it harder to assume someone else's identity may instead have the opposite effect, critics of the measure say." Truthout has this article.
Patriot Act Redux, and in the Dark
"When the committee resumes its work next week, its leaders should rethink their policy and open their deliberations to the light of day." The NYTimes has this editorial.
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