[lbo-talk] LA says In your eye Bush

[Marta Russell]

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/