[MAPC-discuss] Wisconsin Green Party Opposes Patriot Bill
Title
[MAPC-discuss] Wisconsin Green Party Opposes Patriot Bill
Source
born-digital
Media Type
email
Date Entered
2001-11-17
September 11 Email: Body
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 16, 2001
CONTACT:
X
Wisconsin Green Party Opposes Patriot Bill
The Wisconsin Green Party wishes to express its unequivocal opposition to current attempts to undermine civil liberties in the United States since the Sept. 11th attacks in New York and Washington. It's highly disturbing and downright dangerous that our own elected officials have now become so willing to compromise our nation's democratic freedoms in the supposed interest of waging war against global terrorism.
Specifically, the Wisconsin Green Party strongly objects to the recently enacted Patriot Bill and related activities at both the state and federal level. Among these concerns are:
1.) The U.S. Attorney General assuming the power to incarcerate or detain non-citizens based on mere suspicion, and to deny re-admission to the U.S. of non-citizens (including lawful permanent residents) for exercising their free speech rights;
2.) Expansion of telephone and internet surveillance by federal law enforcement agencies in counter-terrorism investigations AND in routine criminal cases unrelated to terrorism with minimal judicial oversight;
3.) The WI Attorney General's "Domestic Security Plan" against "general terrorist threats" that enables judges to issue a 48 hour "temporary order" for wiretapping without any evidence beyond mere suspicion;
4.) Expanded "sneak and peak" searches of personal homes and offices by federal agents - without a warrant - for both counter-terrorism investigations AND in routine criminal cases unrelated to terrorism;
5.) The U.S. Bureau of Prisons decision that allows federal authorities to "eavesdrop" on private conversations between defendants and their lawyers as part of "counter-terrorism" activities in blatant violation of "attorney client privilege."
6.) The U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Secretary of State expanding their power to declare organizations "terrorist" and to block any non-citizen who belongs to such groups from (re)entering the country;
7.) The U.S. Attorney General reserving the right to use payment of membership dues to particular political groups determined to engage in or assist "terrorism" as sufficient criminal evidence for federal deportation;
8.) The CIA, FBI, and INS assuming broad "search and seizure" rights to private medical, financial, mental health, and educational records without having to show prior evidence of a crime and without a court order - this would include the power to subpoena customer databases from booksellers. Such court orders would be issued "ex parte" (ie. without any chance for legal objection) and the subject of the search falling under "gag rules" to not publicly disclose their investigation;
9.) The CIA, FBI, and INS being allowed to pursue coordinated large-scale investigations of citizens for "intelligence" purposes. These agencies would be allowed to supercede normal "probable cause" requirements. The CIA Director now has the unilateral power to identify priority targets for intelligence surveillance;
10.) The recent White House executive order creating U.S. military tribunals for trying and convicting those accused of "terrorist activities" both domestically and overseas. Such tribunals were last employed during WW II against suspected Nazi saboteurs;
11.) A broader vaguer definition of "terrorism" that would include a wide array of political activities currently protected under the First Amendment, violators being subject to enhanced penalties. In Wisconsin, this definition of "terrorism" now includes any crime "dangerous to life, limb or property;"
12.) Expansion and enforcement of various "patriotic" requirements for citizenship. In WI this includes mandated recital of the pledge and/or anthem in state public schools, proposed state-issued ID cards for voting, and draft registration as a prerequisite for employment within state higher educational institutions beginning in Feb. 2003.
These measures have only exacerbated an already hostile fearful climate that is now stifling freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom of association and other political activities essential to a democracy. Nancy Oden, a Green Party activist was recently harassed by law enforcement agents at the Bangor, ME airport and was eventually denied travel. Greens in Hartford, CT were attacked, pepper-sprayed and arrested by police officers for peaceful protest activities. Even in WI, Greens and other social justice activists have not been safe. At UW-Madison, campus activists have noted increased police surveillance of one of their offices, while at UW- Stevens Point a student peace camp endured several nights of rightwing harassment and outright attacks (with fireworks, eggs, homemade bombs) before local police finally intervened. Throughout the nation several murders, hundreds of hate crimes and other racial profiling incidents, as well as over 1500 detentions of suspected "terrorists" have been reported since the Sept. 11th attacks.
Such acts - whether instigated or tolerated by the state - are simply unacceptable in a free democratic society, and must be challenged. The Wisconsin Green Party urges all citizens to not be intimidated by these clearly illegitimate counter-terrorism measures and to continue to exercise their hard-won constitutional freedoms. Those who suffer violations of their civil liberties are encouraged to immediately publicize their experiences and contact the National Lawyers Guild, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, and other legal advocacy groups for assistance. Furthermore, the Wisconsin Green Party pledges to support anyone who is willing to resist these unjust laws in a nonviolent manner.
For further information: www.wigp.org
Friday, November 16, 2001
CONTACT:
X
Wisconsin Green Party Opposes Patriot Bill
The Wisconsin Green Party wishes to express its unequivocal opposition to current attempts to undermine civil liberties in the United States since the Sept. 11th attacks in New York and Washington. It's highly disturbing and downright dangerous that our own elected officials have now become so willing to compromise our nation's democratic freedoms in the supposed interest of waging war against global terrorism.
Specifically, the Wisconsin Green Party strongly objects to the recently enacted Patriot Bill and related activities at both the state and federal level. Among these concerns are:
1.) The U.S. Attorney General assuming the power to incarcerate or detain non-citizens based on mere suspicion, and to deny re-admission to the U.S. of non-citizens (including lawful permanent residents) for exercising their free speech rights;
2.) Expansion of telephone and internet surveillance by federal law enforcement agencies in counter-terrorism investigations AND in routine criminal cases unrelated to terrorism with minimal judicial oversight;
3.) The WI Attorney General's "Domestic Security Plan" against "general terrorist threats" that enables judges to issue a 48 hour "temporary order" for wiretapping without any evidence beyond mere suspicion;
4.) Expanded "sneak and peak" searches of personal homes and offices by federal agents - without a warrant - for both counter-terrorism investigations AND in routine criminal cases unrelated to terrorism;
5.) The U.S. Bureau of Prisons decision that allows federal authorities to "eavesdrop" on private conversations between defendants and their lawyers as part of "counter-terrorism" activities in blatant violation of "attorney client privilege."
6.) The U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Secretary of State expanding their power to declare organizations "terrorist" and to block any non-citizen who belongs to such groups from (re)entering the country;
7.) The U.S. Attorney General reserving the right to use payment of membership dues to particular political groups determined to engage in or assist "terrorism" as sufficient criminal evidence for federal deportation;
8.) The CIA, FBI, and INS assuming broad "search and seizure" rights to private medical, financial, mental health, and educational records without having to show prior evidence of a crime and without a court order - this would include the power to subpoena customer databases from booksellers. Such court orders would be issued "ex parte" (ie. without any chance for legal objection) and the subject of the search falling under "gag rules" to not publicly disclose their investigation;
9.) The CIA, FBI, and INS being allowed to pursue coordinated large-scale investigations of citizens for "intelligence" purposes. These agencies would be allowed to supercede normal "probable cause" requirements. The CIA Director now has the unilateral power to identify priority targets for intelligence surveillance;
10.) The recent White House executive order creating U.S. military tribunals for trying and convicting those accused of "terrorist activities" both domestically and overseas. Such tribunals were last employed during WW II against suspected Nazi saboteurs;
11.) A broader vaguer definition of "terrorism" that would include a wide array of political activities currently protected under the First Amendment, violators being subject to enhanced penalties. In Wisconsin, this definition of "terrorism" now includes any crime "dangerous to life, limb or property;"
12.) Expansion and enforcement of various "patriotic" requirements for citizenship. In WI this includes mandated recital of the pledge and/or anthem in state public schools, proposed state-issued ID cards for voting, and draft registration as a prerequisite for employment within state higher educational institutions beginning in Feb. 2003.
These measures have only exacerbated an already hostile fearful climate that is now stifling freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom of association and other political activities essential to a democracy. Nancy Oden, a Green Party activist was recently harassed by law enforcement agents at the Bangor, ME airport and was eventually denied travel. Greens in Hartford, CT were attacked, pepper-sprayed and arrested by police officers for peaceful protest activities. Even in WI, Greens and other social justice activists have not been safe. At UW-Madison, campus activists have noted increased police surveillance of one of their offices, while at UW- Stevens Point a student peace camp endured several nights of rightwing harassment and outright attacks (with fireworks, eggs, homemade bombs) before local police finally intervened. Throughout the nation several murders, hundreds of hate crimes and other racial profiling incidents, as well as over 1500 detentions of suspected "terrorists" have been reported since the Sept. 11th attacks.
Such acts - whether instigated or tolerated by the state - are simply unacceptable in a free democratic society, and must be challenged. The Wisconsin Green Party urges all citizens to not be intimidated by these clearly illegitimate counter-terrorism measures and to continue to exercise their hard-won constitutional freedoms. Those who suffer violations of their civil liberties are encouraged to immediately publicize their experiences and contact the National Lawyers Guild, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, and other legal advocacy groups for assistance. Furthermore, the Wisconsin Green Party pledges to support anyone who is willing to resist these unjust laws in a nonviolent manner.
For further information: www.wigp.org
September 11 Email: Date
Saturday, November 17, 2001 6:10 PM
September 11 Email: Subject
[MAPC-discuss] Wisconsin Green Party Opposes Patriot Bill
Collection
Citation
“[MAPC-discuss] Wisconsin Green Party Opposes Patriot Bill,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed May 6, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/1091.