I don't often celebrate the Mpls City Council majority. But I do this time.
HUZZAH! HUZZAH! HUZZAH! More power to this group and this precedent. Power to resisting cities! Power to the (local) people! --David Shove Roseville On Fri, 4 Apr 2003, ken bradley wrote: > Hello Minneapolis Folks: > > The Bill of Rights Defense Committee Resolution passed > by a vote of 11 to 2. Voting against the resolution > was Council Members Barb Johnson, and Barrett Lane. > > I want to thank Council Members, Zimmerman, Schiff, > Lilligren, Zerby, Colvin Roy, Johnson Lee, Colvin Roy, > Ostrow, Niziolek, Goodman, Samuels. > > I especially want to thank Council Member Dean > Zimmerman for all his hard work helping to build > support for the resolution. All of the Council Members > that voted for the resolution deserve a big THANK YOU, > for standing up for our civil rights durring these > difficult times. > > Minneapolis has now joined over 81 other cities across > the country that have spoken out against the > unprecedented re-writing of our Bill of Rights and > Constitution by the federal government since the > attacks of September 11, 2001. > > A number of anti terrorism measures have been > introduced that have caused concern for civil > liberties. Critics argue that the USA PATRIOT Act and > other anti-terrorism laws and orders give > unconstitutionally broad powers, and that these powers > could be misused in a discriminatory or repressive > manner. Many Americans are unaware of these measures > and their implications, which include: > > The USA PATRIOT Act > > Effectively eliminates judicial supervision of > telephone and Internet surveillance. > > Gives the Attorney General and the Secretary of State > the power to designate domestic groups conducting > legitimate activity as "terrorist organizations" > > Grants the FBI broad access to sensitive medical, > mental health, financial, library and educational > records about individuals without having to show > evidence of a crime, and without a court order. > > Authorizes the prosecution of the custodian of these > records who reveals a knowledge of the search. > > Allows secret searches of homes and offices, > undermining an individual's right to be secure in > one's home against unreasonable searches and seizures > . > > Specifically targets foreign nationals and people of > Middle Eastern and South Asian descent, and > potentially affect anyone in the United States acting > and speaking legally in opposing government policy. > > The Homeland Security Act > > Allows government officials to probe into all aspects > of our private lives without a search warrant, and > without proof of criminal wrongdoing. > Specifically creates a database on every American, > which can record all communications (phone calls, > emails and Internet activity), banking transactions, > credit card purchases, prescriptions, school records, > medical records, employment, and travel records. > > Undermines the Privacy Act of 1974, which was intended > to limit what government agencies could do with > personal and private information. > > Prevents the dissemination of public documents and > records under the Freedom of Information Act. > > Permits the gathering and disclosure of personal > information on all American citizens, regardless of > whether or not any of those citizens actually > committed a crime. > > Recent Executive and Military Orders, and Justice > Department Directives > > Promote the exchange of sensitive personal information > with and among state and local governments and private > entities. > > Establish secret military tribunals for anyone deemed > by the Justice Dept. to be an "enemy combatant." > > Permit the monitoring and wiretapping of conversations > between lawyers and federal prisoners, without a court > order or supervision. > > Lift Justice Department regulations against illegal > COINTELPRO-type operations by the FBI [covert > activities that in the past targeted domestic groups > and individuals]. > > Limit the disclosure of public documents and records > under the Freedom of Information Act. > > Could be used to designate any foreign national as a > suspected terrorist, or as aiding terrorists, and be > detained, tried, convicted and even executed without a > public trial, without adequate access to counsel, > without the presumption of innocence or even proof of > guilt beyond reasonable doubt, and without the right > to appeal. > Many of these new powers given to government appear to > be in conflict with the United States Constitution, > which guarantees all Americans the following rights: > > > The right to be secure in your home with your papers > and effects free from unreasonable search and seizure. > > The right not to be searched without probable cause > and a court order stating the place to be searched, > and the persons or things to be seized. > > The right not to be deprived of life, liberty or > property without due process of law. > > The right to keep private property. It can't be taken > for public use without just compensation. > > The right to a speedy trial. > > The right to an impartial jury. > > The right to be confronted by witnesses against you. > > The right to equal protection under the law. > > Freedom of speech, to peaceably assemble and to > petition the government for redress of grievances. > > > The Minneapolis Bill of Rights Defense Committee > thanks the Minneapolis City Council for having the > wisdom and courage to speak out against these > unprecedented federal changes. > > Ken Bradley Corcoran Neighborhood > 612-728-8962 Home > 651-726-7568 Work > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Tax Center - File online, calculators, forms, and more > http://tax.yahoo.com > > TEMPORARY REMINDER: > 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. > 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. > > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
