Democratic Talk Radio: Democratic Voices Column

June 2, 2003

States Urge Patriot Act Repeal

The movement to repeal the falsely named US Patriot Act is catching fire in communities in every state in the union. Hawaii, Alaska and Vermont have passed resolutions urging that the constitutionally mandated civil liberties restricted by the US Patriot Act be restored and the Act repealed.

A total of 118 cities, towns, and counties have passed resolutions urging repeal. Some of the cities include: Detroit (Michigan), Greensboro (North Carolina), Baltimore (Maryland), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), York (Pennsylvania), Denver (Colorado), Seattle (Washington), Eugene (Oregon), Minneapolis (Minnesota), Oakland (California), San Francisco (California), Providence (Rhode Island), Tucson (Arizona). Broward County (Florida) and Blount County (Tennessee) is just a couple of the counties urging repeal. A list is available online at www.bordc.org and recent developments will be available at the message board of our website DemocraticTalkRadio.com.

The American Civil Liberties Union has joined with many grassroots Democratic, labor and civil rights organizations along with a growing list of prominent Republican Right figures to push for repeal. Former Georgia Republican Congressman Bob Barr and the anti-tax guru Grover Norquist are among the Republican leaders working against the US Patriot Act.

The US Patriot Act was passed just after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Many Congressman and US Senators had not even read the entire bill when it passed. It granted Police State powers to the Bush Administration- and basically suspended the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution.

It is now legal for the Bush Administration to take away any American citizen in the middle of the night on national security grounds. The Bush Administration can declare any American citizen an “enemy combatant”. You have no legal mechanism to defend yourself against the charge of being an “enemy combatant”.

The Bush Administration can jail you without telling your family or the media. You have no guarantee to a speedy trial-or any trial. You have no right to consult a lawyer. There is no limit to the time you can be jailed. If you leave the United States, the Bush Administration claims the right to execute you without trial.

The US Patriot Act lays the legal basis for a Bush Republican Dictatorship. It grants powers to George W. Bush that our Founding Fathers would not grant to George Washington. We rebelled against a British King George who claimed such powers. American communities are now doing the same against King George of Texas. Add your support by contacting your legislators.

Sincerely,
Stephen Crockett
Al Lawrence
Co-hosts: “Current Affair” News Talk Program
WEKR 1240 am radio
(931) 433-3545