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Broward County Becomes 100th Community to Oppose PATRIOT Act as Residents Turn Out for Teach-In on PATRIOT Act: Floridians Give Legislation Failing Grade
May 6, 2003
MIAMI ? At a community forum hosted Tuesday by the ACLU of Florida, civil liberties experts and community leaders discussed with members of the community the impact recent federal anti-terrorism legislation and administrative actions have on Florida communities. The forum came on the heels of and in the midst of excitement of Broward County's passage of a resolution opposing the PATRIOT Act's infringements on civil liberties.
Broward County is the largest and 100th community to pass a resolution affirming the civil rights and civil liberties of its residents. The ACLU has successfully mobilized communities across the country to stand up for their civil liberties by passing resolutions affirming that safety need not come at the expense of liberty. The state legislature of Hawaii passed a similar resolution just last week.
The resolution passed unanimously Tuesday during a meeting of the Broward County Commission, sending a clear signal to Washington that Floridians are committed to stand up for all Floridians' rights. "What happens in the halls of Congress has a very real effect on the lives of all Floridians," said Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida. "Americans everywhere are subject to the new rules, but Florida has a large number of immigrants and ethnic and religious minority communities that will be disproportionately affected."
"Broward's County's resolution and the turnout tonight at our teach in -- PATRIOT Act 101 -- shows that the public is concerned about the vast powers that Congress has given Attorney General Ashcroft and the FBI, the new powers Ashcroft has assumed for himself in Executive Orders, the additional powers the government still wants, and what Floridians can do to protect our rights, privacy and civil liberties," Simon added.
People from all across the Miami-Dade area came to learn about the legislation and what they can do about legislation that directly affects their individual freedom and privacy, including how to introduce and pass their own resolutions. The USA PATRIOT Act, which was rushed through Congress with virtually no debate in the weeks after September 11, is the focus of the Broward County resolution and Tuesday's teach-in.
One of the Act's most troubling provisions allows the FBI to force businesses to turn over customer records ? including libraries and bookstores as well as doctors, universities and Internet service providers. Further, the act prohibits an organization forced to turn over records from disclosing the search.
The draft Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, or PATRIOT 2, was also the subject of consternation. Although not yet formally introduced, the draft bill contains provisions as drastic as stripping native-born Americans of their citizenship, secret arrests, and cataloging genetic information about innocent Americans. Also, the bill seeks to lift limits on local police spying on religious and political activity, turning the fundamental right of freedoms of religion and speech on their head.
The wide range of participants on the panel, including the American Library Association, the Council on American Islamic Relations, Truth Out, the Miami-Dade Libertarian Party and Congressman Alcee Hasting's office (D-FL-23), coupled with a successful turnout indicate enormous public concern.
For more information, contact:
Alessandra Soler Meetze, (305) 576-2337 ext. 16
