CIVIL
LIBERTIES
By Reed K. Bilz, Social Justice Committee
Delegates to
the 2002 UUA General Assembly in
What can Unitarian Universalists do to
protect civil liberties against governmental violation in the name of “homeland
security” and in the wars against terrorism and drugs?
The response to
this call to study was Westside’s participation in an
educational forum on the Patriot Act held at First Jefferson in November 2002.
At the 2004 General Assembly in
This statement
is several pages long, but reads, in part:
The USA PATRIOT Act was signed into law
on October 26, 2001. This Act permits the unlimited detention and deportation
of foreign nationals on the basis of suspicion and without due process of law.
It redefines the scope of terrorism law to include domestic associations,
rendering citizen organizations, including communities of faith, subject to
secret surveillance and investigation. It allows the FBI to investigate
American citizens without probable cause if the agents consider it for
“intelligence purposes.” It permits law enforcement agencies to conduct secret
searches, including phone and Internet surveillance, and grants access to
medical, banking, employment, library, and other personal records with fewer
considerations of due process.
The Call to
Action on the Patriot Act issue states:
We are called as individuals, as congregations,
and as an association of congregations to let our leaders know that some
current policies are unacceptable. Therefore:
We demand repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act
and call upon local officials to adopt resolutions urging its repeal and
declaring their intention not to enforce its onerous provisions.
The Social
Justice Committee proposes, in response to the above, that Westside join with
other local organizations in asking the Fort Worth City Council to adopt a
resolution opposing the Patriot Act and its enforcement. The coalition has
already been formed and includes the League of Women Voters, Peace Action, and
the ACLU.
We urge you to take individual action in
compliance with the call from UUA, and to support a congregational effort
renouncing the Patriot Act. Feel free to e-mail me at rbilz@earthlink.net with
any questions. I have a copy of the proposed resolution for the city as well as
the complete SOC which is also available on the UUA website.