[Peace-discuss] USA Patriot Act - Oakland City Council Plans to Rebuff Bush Measure

[John Wason]

>Published on Thursday, December 12, 2002 by the Oakland Tribune 
>USA Patriot Act
>Oakland City Council Plans to Rebuff Bush Measure 
>by Cecily Burt
> 
>OAKLAND -- Oakland's elected officials are drawing a line in the sand
against 
>the Bush administration's USA Patriot Act, a series of broad, far-reaching 
>powers some fear could be used to violate residents' fundamental rights
under 
>the U.S. Constitution. 
>On Tuesday, the City Council will consider a resolution opposing the Patriot 
>Act and other executive orders that expand the government's ability to
obtain 
>personal information and infiltrate religious and political organizations, 
>under the auspices of the war against terrorism. 
>Council President Ignacio De La Fuente co-sponsored the proposed resolution 
>with Councilmember Nancy Nadel (Downtown-West Oakland). The USA Patriot Act 
>was passed Oct. 26, 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 
>against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 
>Though billed as something that will "unite and strengthen America," the act 
>has the opposite effect of creating chaos and division by pitting one group 
>against another, De La Fuente said. 
>"It will have a tremendous impact on police departments and government 
>agencies," he said. "It will violate not only citizens' rights but anyone in 
>the country. It will discriminate against people of color. That's what it 
>boils down to. 
>"Cities like us, with 70 percent people of color and 60 percent immigrant 
>population, cannot stay silent on that fact," he said. "It's important that 
>the city of Oakland, our police and our government agencies not be tainted
by 
>(the Bush administration's) attitude of discrimination, and use this as an 
>excuse to treat people differently." 
>The Oakland resolution affirms the city's "strong opposition to terrorism," 
>but not at the expense of fundamental civil rights. 
>The resolution asks that "to the extent possible, no city employee or 
>department shall officially assist or voluntarily cooperate with 
>investigations, interrogations or arrest procedures ... that are in
violation 
>of individuals' civil rights." 
>If the resolution is approved, Oakland would become the 19th city in the 
>United States to formally take a stand against the act and other powers 
>awarded the executive branch and law enforcement agencies. Berkeley, Santa 
>Cruz and Sebastopol have already passed similar resolutions. 
>It is important to get other cities and municipalities on board before 
>portions of the act come up for congressional reauthorization in two years, 
>said Sanjeev Bery, ACLU advocate for Northern California. 
>One section that will expire if not renewed expands law enforcement's 
>authority to obtain library records; another gives the government the right 
>to access medical, mental health, financial and educational records, and 
>eases restrictions on telephone and Internet surveillance. 
>The act and other executive orders give broad powers to designate domestic 
>groups, including religious and political organizations, as terrorist 
>organizations, which then makes it possible to spy on and infiltrate houses 
>of worship, Bery said. 
>Executive orders following the Sept. 11 attacks give broad authority to 
>subject non-citizens to indefinite detention or deportation, without being 
>charged with a crime, as happened to 1,200 men of Arab or Muslim descent,
Bery 
>said. 
>"I think it will make a difference if members of Congress see that their 
>constituents oppose the crackdown. Likely they will do the same," Bery said. 
>"Most members of Congress didn't read it when they passed it." 
>The Oakland Public Library Commission also has passed a resolution opposing 
>the act. 
>
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