[lbo-talk] LA says In your eye Bush

Marta Russell ap888 at lafn.org
Thu Jan 22 13:03:53 PST 2004


Largest City to Date Passes Pro-Civil Liberties Resolution;
> Los Angeles Rejects The Patriot Act Extension
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ;
> Wednesday, January 21,
> 2004
>
> Contact: Shin Inouye
> (202) 675-2312
>
> WASHINGTON - Following last night's call by President Bush to extend the
> USA PATRIOT Act, the American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the
> passage of a pro-civil liberties resolution urging a narrowing of the USA
> Patriot Act and affirming support for freedom in the post-9/11 era by the
> Los Angeles City Council. Today's overwhelming vote by the City Council
> makes Los Angeles the 237th local government -- and with over 3.5 million
> residents by far the largest to date - to adopt such a resolution.
>
> In his State of the Union address, President Bush yet again used fear to
> call for the extension of controversial powers granted in the PATRIOT
> Act, said Gregory T. Nojeim, Associate Director of the ACLU Washington
> Legislative Office. That Los Angeles would pass a resolution less than
> a day after that, demanding that we uphold the Constitution and demand
> narrowly tailored anti-terrorism powers is a testament to their commitment
> to the American way.
>
> "This is a huge victory for civil liberties," said Ramona Ripston,
> executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern
> California. "Los Angeles is the largest city to pass a resolution in
> support of civil liberties and critical of the USA-PATRIOT Act. Angelenos
> should be proud that their City Council stands on the side of those who
> believe we can be both safe and free. Todays resolution sends a clear
> message to those who assume that Americans will tolerate the erosion of
> our basic Constitutional rights."
>
> The council voted 9 to 2 to adopt the resolution which seeks to affirm
> the rights of all people. liviing within the City. The resolution was
> spearheaded by Councilmember Jan Perry (D-District 9) and Assistant
> President Pro Tempore Eric Garcetti (D- District 13). The Civil Liberties
> Defense Coalition, a group of more than 50 local and national
> organizations, including the ACLU, the American Arab Anti-Discrimination
> Committee and the National Council of LaRaza, had endorsed the resolution.
>
> The resolution movement has its roots in the passage of the Patriot Act,
> the sweeping anti-terrorism legislation steamrolled through Congress in
> October of 2001, and other similar post-9/11 security measures. Such
> measures share several anti-civil liberties characteristics, including
> provisions that erode checks and balances on federal law enforcement and
> surveillance powers and threaten the American political system's
> separation of powers.
>
> To date, 237 governing bodies -- including the state legislatures of
> Hawaii, Alaska and Vermont -- encompassing over 34 million people in 37
> states, have passed similar resolutions, some of which contain strong
legal
> language directing local law enforcement to refrain from, for instance,
> engaging in racial profiling or enforcing federal immigration laws.
> Participating communities range in size and political inclination from
tiny
> conservative North Pole, Alaska and Carrboro, North Carolina, to Chicago,
> Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit and San Francisco.
>
> In addition to local governments, several national organizations have also
> adopted similar pro-civil liberties resolutions. Among them are the
> American Library Association, the Japanese American Citizens League, the
> National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National
> League of Cities, the Organization of Chinese Americans and Veterans for
> Peace.
>
> The Los Angeles resolution calls for support of any legislation which
> would repeal provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act. that violate the
> Constitution. There are ccurrently several measures pending in Congress
> that seek to bring the PATRIOT Act back in line with the Constitution.
One
> such measure is the Safety and Freedom Ensured (SAFE Act), a bipartisan
> bill co-sponsored by Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Dick Durbin
> (D-IL). The ACLU noted that there is strong bi-partisan Congressional
> support for measures to reign in the PATRIOT Act.
>
> As we continue to provide for our national security, we should not
> maintain those anti-terrorism measures that are overreaching and
vulnerable
> to abuse, Nojeim added. â?oOur history demands a commitment to the
> system of checks and balances, proper oversight, and to protection of the
> privacy of Americans. Today, Los Angeles has sent a clear message - the
> state of the union demands that we be both safe and free.
>
-- Marta Russell Los Angeles, CA http://www.martarussell.com/



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