CRIME Fwd: [Fwd: Eugene says "NO!" to USA PATRIOT act]

From: tobyhush@private
Date: Wed Dec 04 2002 - 12:40:52 PST

  • Next message: Kuo, Jimmy: "RE: CRIME Fwd: [Fwd: Eugene says "NO!" to USA PATRIOT act]"

    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
    
    Makes me almost want to move to Eugene.
    
    toby
    
            www.registerguard.com | © The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon
    http://www.registerguard.com/news/2002/11/26/1a.patriotact.1126.html
    
     November 26, 2002
    
     Patriot Act earns council's `no' vote
    
     By JOE MOSLEY
     The Register-Guard
    
     Eugene city councilors gave in to a stampede of constituents
     Monday night, surprising even themselves by voting unanimously
     at an impassioned meeting to make Eugene the 15th city in the
     United States and the first in Oregon to formally seek reform or
     repeal of the USA Patriot Act.
    
     More than 200 people packed the council chamber and dozens
     more spilled out of its doorways as opponents to the sweeping
     anti-terrorism act dominated an extended public comment
     session with testimony of lost liberties, ideals in peril and a
     heartfelt fear of unchecked government.
    
     "My community was silenced; our voice is silent," said
     20-year-old Alexander Gonzales, a Hispanic student at the
     University of Oregon and lifelong Eugene resident. "We're afraid.
     I really can't express through words the fear that goes on."
    
     Others also told of feeling targeted by the Patriot Act - not
     because of their politics but due to national heritage, religious
     beliefs or skin color.
    
     "I have not done anything; I am not a terrorist," said Nadia Sindi, a
     Muslim woman well-known in city and county circles as a land
     use activist. "I urge you to pass this resolution, for all of us."
    
     And Muhammed Kahn, a doctor who is new to Eugene, said he
     not only loves his new city but embraces the U.S. Constitution -
     whose ideals he described as close to those espoused by the
     Quran, Islam's holy book.
    
     "I just want to quote Benjamin Franklin, who said those who give
     up liberty for security deserve neither," Kahn said.
    
     With the unexpected vote, Eugene joins 14 other cities - from
     Cambridge, Mass., to Berkeley, Calif. - that have adopted
     resolutions since last February stating opposition to the Patriot
     Act and urging its repeal. Elsewhere in Oregon, Benton County
     and the cities of Portland and Ashland have considered similar
     decrees but have taken no action.
    
     Congress approved the 342-page Patriot Act last year to enable
     a crackdown on terrorism, but it has since been criticized by
     groups across the political spectrum as a threat to personal
     privacy and constitutional rights.
    
     "We shouldn't stand by silently as those rights and freedoms are
     eroded," Councilor Bonny Bettman said, urging her colleagues to
     make a unified statement. "Our rights and freedoms really help
     distinguish us from our enemies."
    
     Going into the meeting, at least half of the eight councilors were
     on record opposing a resolution - favoring instead a less-formal
     letter that could be signed by individual councilors, stating their
     personal views rather than an official city position.
    
     But citizens on Monday told the council that's not enough.
    
     "Writing a simple letter would be crawling, rather than standing,"
     Dawn Balzano Peebles said. "I've heard the fear in people's
     voices. I've heard the shaking in their spirits. Ordinary citizens
     are now fearful of their own government."
    
     One by one, those councilors opposed to a resolution joined the
     fold.
    
     Gary Rayor, who drafted an alternate resolution and then a letter
     expressing general concerns with the Patriot Act, conceded that
     "there are some things wrong with (the act), and I think this
     resolution goes to ferreting them out."
    
     Nancy Nathanson went back and forth, weighing impacts the
     federal act could have upon her constituents against her "primary
     duty to take care of municipal affairs," before lining up with the
     majority.
    
     Scott Meisner's vote was perhaps the most surprising, after he
     announced he would oppose the resolution as a hollow symbol.
    
     "This does not change the law," Meisner said before the vote, but
     after it was apparent a majority would support the measure.
     "Psychologically, I hope it reduces some people's fears. But I
     don't have a great deal of faith this will mean anything. I hope we
     don't stop with getting the city of Eugene to make a symbolic
     statement. I want effective action, not symbolic action."
    
     The resolution was adapted from wording provided by the Patriot
     Act's primary local opponent, the Lane County Bill of Rights
     Defense Committee, part of a national organization opposed to
     the law.
    
     It affirms the city's support of and commitment to the Oregon
     and U.S. constitutions; asks federal, state and local law
     enforcement agencies to report to the City Council and its
     human rights committee any actions taken under the Patriot Act;
     resolves that "to the greatest extent legally possible," no city
     resources will be used to carry out provisions of the federal act;
     and urges Oregon's congressional delegation to "actively work
     for the revocations of any unconstitutional sections" of the act.
    
     "We are ordinary citizens who came together because we care
     deeply about the rights we used to have," said Hope Marston, the
     citizen group's coordinator, as she gave city officials petitions
     containing nearly 2,000 signatures of Eugene residents opposed
     to the act.
    
     "These voters are asking you to protect them," she said.
    
     Resolutions have varied among the cities that passed them, but
     most express a general concern about an erosion of
     fundamental rights and ask local police to report any federal
     request for enforcement under provisions of the Patriot Act.
    
     Civil liberty concerns have arisen not only about the act but also
     several executive orders intended to streamline investigative pro-
     cedures.
    
     The Patriot Act allows police to arrest and detain indefinitely any
     American suspected of terrorism, for instance, as well as
     detention of immigrants without disclosure of their names. It also
     allows "sneak and peek" searches of suspects' homes without
     subsequent notification of the searches, collection of personal
     information such as Web surfing habits and the forcing of
     librarians, booksellers and video shop proprietors to turn over
     patron records to federal investigators when asked.
    
     Executive orders enacted independently by President Bush or
     Attorney General John Ashcroft in the past year include a new
     guideline allowing FBI agents to conduct surveillance of domestic
     political and religious groups, and a rule permitting the
     government to arrest and sequester people considered terrorist
     suspects.
    
     RESOLVED AGAINST PATRIOT ACT
    
     Eugene is the 15th local government in the United States to pass
     a resolution opposing the USA Patriot Act.
    
       1. Ann Arbor, Mich.
    
       2. Denver
    
       3. Amherst, Mass.
    
       4. Leverett, Mass.
    
       5. North Hampton, Mass.
    
       6. Cambridge, Mass.
    
       7. Carrboro, N.C.
    
       8. Boulder, Colo.
    
       9. Madison, Wis.
    
       10. Berkeley, Calif.
    
       11. Alachua County, Fla.
    
       12. Takoma Park, Md.
    
       13. Santa Fe, N.M.
    
       14. Santa Cruz, Calif.
    
       15. Eugene
    
     - Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Florence, Mass.
    
     See www.bordc.org for more information.
    
                                  ---
    "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they
    want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
    - -- H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)
                                  ---
    Support Tax Reform - www.givemeliberty.org
                                  ---
    Support Judicial Reform - www.jail4judges.org
                                  ---
    Support Separation of School and State - www.sepschool.org
                                  ---
    S
    
    
    
    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
    Version: Hush 2.2 (Java)
    Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify
    
    wl0EARECAB0FAj3uaFUWHHRvYnlodXNoQGh1c2htYWlsLmNvbQAKCRCCZA+ELDMXICsO
    AKCpN9d9L7SWscr2qy0j7ii422t5qACeKn/CdszhS5Xxzjr91AGOblKyd9g=
    =mPbk
    -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
    
    
    
    
    Concerned about your privacy? Follow this link to get
    FREE encrypted email: https://www.hushmail.com/?l=2 
    
    Big $$$ to be made with the HushMail Affiliate Program: 
    https://www.hushmail.com/about.php?subloc=affiliate&l=427
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Wed Dec 04 2002 - 13:42:22 PST