ZGram - 12/19/2002 - "Academics speak up"
irimland@zundelsite.org
irimland@zundelsite.org
Fri, 20 Dec 2002 19:12:39 -0800
ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny
December 19, 2002
Good Morning from the Zundelsite:
This ZGram was supposed to go out yesterday, but again we had server
trouble. This might be just as well, because I can now send two
ZGrams back-to-back that really belong together.
As you can see, resistance to the Patriot Act is building - but not
nearly fast enough:
[START]
More And More US Cities
Repudiate Patriot Act
Cities Say No To Federal Snooping
By Julia Scheeres
Wired News
12-19-2
Fearing that the Patriot Act will curtail Americans' civil rights,
municipalities across the country are passing resolutions to
repudiate the legislation and protect their residents from a
perceived abuse of authority by the federal government.
On Tuesday, Oakland became the 20th municipality to pass a resolution
barring its employees -- from police officer to librarian -- from
collaborating with federal officials who may try to use their new
power to investigate city residents.
Rushed through Congress a month after the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Patriot Act fundamentally
changes Americans' legal rights. Among other things, the act allows
the government to secretly monitor political groups, seize library
records and tap phone and Internet connections.
The federal government says the expanded powers are needed to prevent
terrorist attacks; but critics say the legislation erodes freedoms
protected by the Constitution. The Justice Department did not return
calls for comment on this article.
A rallying point behind the recent groundswell has been the Bill of
Rights Defense Committee, run by Massachusetts activist Nancy
Talanian.
Her site includes a blueprint for communities that want to pass
anti-Patriot Act resolutions, based on her successful lobbying
efforts for such legislation in Northhampton, Massachusetts. The site
has gotten over a million hits in the last six months, Talanian said.
Another group to vehemently oppose the act has been librarians. They
are now required to divulge patrons' book-borrowing and
Internet-surfing habits to federal investigators and are prohibited
from making such requests public.
In retaliation, some librarians have called special meetings to
educate their communities about the Patriot Act's implications.
Others now routinely purge borrowing records and Internet caches. One
former librarian devised a series of technically-legal signs to warn
patrons of FBI snooping.
"We're Sorry!" states one. "Due to National Security concerns, we are
unable to tell you if your Internet surfing habits, passwords and
e-mail content are being monitored by federal agents; please act
appropriately."
Jessamyn West said she doesn't necessarily expect libraries to use
her signs, but she hopes that they'll get people talking.
"Hopefully, they'll make people more aware of what's going on," she said.
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,56922,00.html
Email This Article
[END]