[Peace-discuss] ACLU Online: Civil Liberties One Year After 9/11

Sun Sep 15 13:58:11 CDT 2002

>>Subject: ACLU Online: Civil Liberties One Year After 9/11
>>
>>ACLU Online:  September 12, 2002
>>The e-newsletter of the American Civil Liberties Union
>>
>>*********************************
>>
>>IN THIS ISSUE:
>>
>>-- Civil Liberties One Year After 9/11: A Message from Anthony D. Romero
>>-- Safe and Free Update: New ACLU Report
>>-- ACLU Resists Government Attempts to Shroud Anti-Terrorism Efforts in 
>>Secrecy
>>-- News & Action: Help Kill TIPS For Good!, New ACLU Ad Tells Congress to 
>>"Get Real" About Sex Ed, ACLU Condemns Latest Florida Voting Fiasco
>>-- VCR Alert! Anthony D. Romero to appear on "Now with Bill Moyers," 
>>Friday Sep. 13, 9 pm (EST)
>>-- What YOU Can Do to Protect Our Freedoms
>>
>>*********************************
>>
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>>*********************************
>>
>>CIVIL LIBERTIES ONE YEAR AFTER 9/11:
>>A statement by Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director
>>
>>One year after the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, much 
>>has fundamentally changed in America.  Some of these changes, like a 
>>renewed sense of national purpose, are heartening.
>>
>>Yet much else is deeply disturbing to those who cherish freedom and the 
>>American way of life.  And perhaps the most disturbing change is the 
>>government's apparent belief that our society cannot be both safe and free.
>>
>>Certainly the terrorists who attacked us took insidious advantage of our 
>>tolerance and our love of liberty -- enjoying our freedoms while plotting 
>>our destruction.  But does that mean our freedoms are at fault?  Or that 
>>being tolerant of others is wrong?  Our answer is an emphatic "NO."
>>
>>The principles enshrined in our Constitution are the bedrock of our 
>>country.  They define us as a people.  They are the source of our 
>>strength as a nation.  They are our enduring legacy to the 
>>world.  Defending them in a time of national crisis is more than an act 
>>of patriotism -- it is a moral imperative.
>>
>>The full Romero statement can be found online.  Click here to keep reading:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/safeandfree/index.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>*********************************
>>
>>SAFE AND FREE UPDATE: NEW ACLU REPORT
>>
>>The ACLU has just released a comprehensive new report entitled "Civil 
>>Liberties After 9/11: The ACLU Defends Freedom."  The report details how 
>>our government's response to the attacks against America has imperiled 
>>many of our basic rights and freedoms.
>>
>>To read the report (pdf format), please visit us at:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/safeandfree/911_report.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>*********************************
>>
>>ACLU RESISTS GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO SHROUD ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS IN SECRECY
>>
>>One of the most ominous aspects of the government's response to terrorism 
>>is the Bush Administration's apparent desire to operate in total secrecy 
>>and leave the American people, the media and even the U.S. Congress in 
>>the dark.
>>
>>Believing the war against terrorism is not a justification for violating 
>>America's tradition of open government, the ACLU has fought the 
>>Administration's repeated efforts to run the government behind closed doors.
>>
>>For example, last month the ACLU successfully argued against secret 
>>deportation hearings before a federal appeals court.  In its decision, 
>>the Court ruled that the government's blanket policy of excluding the 
>>press and public from all deportation hearings in post-9/11 cases 
>>violated the First Amendment.  You can read the full story at:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/news/2002/n082602a.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>The ACLU has also publicly condemned the secret meetings of a special 
>>federal appeals court to decide whether Attorney General John Ashcroft 
>>had overstepped constitutional bounds in surveillance and searches.
>>
>>This hearing is of enormous public interest because it concerns the first 
>>time a Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) has rejected a 
>>government warrant and because it is the appellate court's first 
>>opportunity to consider new surveillance rules proposed by the government 
>>in the USA PATRIOT Act.
>>
>>"Hearing a one-sided argument and doing so in secret goes against the 
>>traditions of fairness and open government that have been the hallmark of 
>>our democracy," said Ann Beeson, Litigation Director of the ACLU's 
>>Technology and Liberty Program.
>>
>>You can read the full press release at:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/news/2002/n090902b.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>As Judge Keith wrote in his decision striking down secret deportation 
>>hearings, "Democracies die behind closed doors."  The ACLU couldn't agree more.
>>
>>A complete collection of ACLU materials about the government's response 
>>to the terrorist attacks can be found online at:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/safeandfree/index.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>********************************
>>
>>NEWS ROUND-UP
>>
>>TAKE ACTION!
>>
>>Despite what the Justice Department has said, the threat of the 
>>government's new program to turn neighbors into spies -- the Terrorist 
>>Information and Prevention System or Operation TIPS -- has unfortunately 
>>not yet abated.  The only way to disable TIPS once and for all is through 
>>congressional action.
>>
>>Take Action!  Urge your senators to include a prohibition against 
>>Operation TIPS in the Homeland Security Department proposal currently 
>>being debated on the Senate floor.
>>
>>To learn more and send a FREE FAX to your senators, go to:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/action/tips107.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>NEW ACLU AD TELLS CONGRESS TO "GET REAL" ABOUT SEX ED
>>
>>Saying that young people need honest and accurate information to protect 
>>themselves from unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and 
>>AIDS, a new advertisement by the ACLU and Advocates for Youth tells 
>>Congress to stop preventing teens from getting the facts about sex.
>>
>>"When it comes to sex ed, honesty is still the best policy," the 
>>advertisement declares in bold type.  A black-and-white photo depicts a 
>>1950s-era teacher pointing to a blackboard of familiar sayings edited to 
>>read, "Ignorance is the best policy," "Knowledge is bad," and "Never be 
>>prepared."
>>
>>The advertisement, which appeared in the Congressional Quarterly's Daily 
>>Monitor September 3-5, highlights problems of existing abstinence-only 
>>programs and the President's current efforts to increase funding for 
>>these misguided programs by a half-billion dollars.
>>
>>To learn more, and to view the new advertisement online, go to:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/news/2002/n090602c.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>ACLU CONDEMNS LATEST FLORIDA VOTING FIASCO
>>
>>After an election day rife with problems rivaling those of November 2000, 
>>the American Civil Liberties Union has roundly condemned Florida's 
>>failure to provide voters with a reliable voting system and warned that 
>>if the problems of yesterday are not corrected, November 2002 will be as 
>>bad as or worse than yesterday's chaotic election.
>>
>>The Florida office of the ACLU, which was flooded with calls from angered 
>>voters, has begun documenting the extensive problems. Further evidence of 
>>the election breakdown will be compiled through public records requests 
>>and other means. ACLU officials will be examining specifically ways to 
>>address the technological failure and the inadequacy of poll worker training.
>>
>>Click here to read the full story.
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.aclu.org/news/2002/n091102a.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>********************************
>>
>>VCR ALERT!
>>
>>Tape or tune in to "Now with Bill Moyers" on PBS to watch Anthony Romero 
>>participate in an hour-long roundtable discussion about civil liberties 
>>after Sept. 11.
>>
>>Check out the PBS website for a preview of the show, including a 
>>highlighted quote from Anthony:
>>http://forms.aclu.org/L/www.pbs.org/now/politics/clpanel.cfm?MX=490&H=0
>>
>>The program airs on this Friday, Sept. 13 at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Ch. 
>>13 in New York City. The link above includes a search function so you can 
>>find out where the show is airing in your area.
>>
>>********************************
>>
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>>*********************************
>>
>>American Civil Liberties Union
>>125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
>>New York, New York 10004-2400
>>http://www.aclu.org
>>
>>Phil Gutis and Gerri Engel, Editors
>>
>>*********************************
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