THE MINNEAPOLIS BILL OF RIGHTS DEFENSE COMMITTEE presents A Community Forum and Discussion
The federal government is trading in YOUR rights to privacy, free speech, and personal security, all in the name of fighting terrorism. Let�s organize to take back the Constitution! Henry High School Auditorium 4320 Newton Avenue NorthMinneapolis Friday, February 7, 2003 7:00 � 9:00 p.m. Thursday, February 6, 20037:00 � 9:00 p.m. Featured Panelists MN State Sen. Linda Higgins, Minneapolis MN State Sen. Mee Moua, St. Paul Omar Jamal, Somali Justice Advocacy Center Caroline Palmer, National Lawyers Guild Jaye Rykunyk, Union of Hotel Employees& Restaurant Employees Moderator: MN State Rep. Keith Ellison South High School Auditorium 3131 - 19th Avenue South Minneapolis Featured Panelists MN State Reps. Keith Ellison, Karen Clark, and Neva Walker, Minneapolis MN State Sen. Scott Dibble, Minneapolis Peter Erlinder, National Lawyers Guild Omar Jamal, Somali Justice Advocacy Center Moderator: Leslie Reindl, Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers The Minneapolis Bill Of Rights Defense Committee was formed in order to promote a city Resolution opposing those parts of the USA PATRIOT and Homeland Security Acts and associated orders and directives that threaten our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights. We are circulating a petition in support of this initiative. We welcome the participation of people and groups from across the political and social spectrums to join our efforts. contact: web: http://minneapolis.bordc.org email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone: (612) 305-1232 Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States government responded to the threat of terrorism by passing the USA PATRIOT Act, the Homeland Security Act, as well as a series of Federal Executive Orders issued by President Bush, the Department of Justice, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Most Americans are not aware of the extent to which these measures expand the government�s power to invade their privacy, to imprison people without due process, and to track and punish dissent. These acts empower government and law enforcement agencies from the federal level down to the local level. Are you worried yet? If not, read on� The USA PATRIOT Act violates First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and the press.Section 215 of the Act authorizes federal agents to demand, from bookstores and libraries, records of books that a person suspected of terrorism has purchased or read, as well as records of a suspect�s activities on a library computer. The Act also prohibits the bookseller or librarian from informing anyone of this search. The USA PATRIOT Act violates the Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process of law.Section 412 of the Act allows that, upon the mere suspicion of engaging in terrorist activities, a non-citizen may be detained for as long as seven days without being charged with any violation. Furthermore, the Attorney General is not required to inform the detainee of the evidence on which a certification of terrorism is made, nor to provide him or her with an opportunity to contest the evidence at a hearing with an Immigration Judge. The USA PATRIOT Act violates the Fourth Amendment right to privacy and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.Section 213 of the Act allows law enforcement officers to search a person�s home or office without notifying the person of the search warrant until after the search has been completed. What about those other Acts and Executive Orders? Can it get any worse? The Homeland Security Act allows law enforcement officers to trace internet activity without a court order. A Department of Justice regulation effective October 31, 2001, allows eavesdropping on attorney/client conversations; prior court authorization can drop the requirement of written notice to the inmate and attorney. An interim regulation issued by the Attorney General on April 22, 2002 forbids any state or county jail from releasing information about INS detainees housed in their facilities. 30 cities have passed Resolutions resisting these unconstitutional measures. We can too. Let�s organize� and make Minneapolis safe for democracy. For further information on these and related issues: Minneapolis Bill of Rights Defense Committee http://minneapolis.bordc.org Bill of Rights Defense Committee (national) www.bordc.org American Civil Liberties Union www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFreeMain.cfm Center for Constitutional Rights http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/whatsnew/docs/USA_PATRIOT_ACT.pdf National Lawyers Guild www.nlg.org/post911/legislation/legislation-index.htm �They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.�- Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. 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