Transpartisan leaders from across the country work
to restore due process
WASHINGTON, DC — In the first few weeks of 2012, at least six jurisdictions have enacted local resolutions opposing the military detention provisions of the controversial National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed into law by the president only a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, legislation to nullify the NDAA has been introduced in legislatures of several states from coast-to-coast, with a Virginia bill passing the House of Delegates 96-4 last week.
Concerns about NDAA detention provisions transcend political party, ideology, and geography, and representatives in these diverse jurisdictions have stood up to resist an ongoing bipartisan assault on constitutional rights by federal officials. While a debate about the scope of the NDAA’s potential abuses continues to distract congressional policymakers, who voted without realizing the law’s terrifying implications, their counterparts in state and local governments are proving more conscientious, proactively acting on their oaths of office to defend the Constitution.
This Thursday, Feb. 23, a diverse group of state and local elected leaders from both major political parties, representing various parts of the country, will address their shared concerns about the need to restore due process in the wake of the damage wrought by the NDAA. These women and men have answered the call for all levels of government to actively work to restore vital limits on dangerous—and profoundly un-American—federal powers.
What: A conference call to brief journalists about national momentum across local and state governments to repeal or nullify the NDAA’s detention provisions
When: Thursday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. EST (11 a.m. PST)
Where: Register online at http://myaccount.maestroconference.com/conference/register/MX3AV13968E4HAO
Who: Speakers will include the following:
- Naomi Wolf, author, journalist, former consultant to Vice President Al Gore
- Bruce Fein, attorney and former Justice Department official under President Reagan
- Missouri State Representative and former US Marine Paul Curtman (R)
- North Carolina State Senator Ellie Kinnaird (D)
- Washington State Rep. Matt Shea (R)
- Northampton, MA City Councilor Bill Dwight (D)
- El Paso, CO County Commissioner Peggy Littleton (R)
Sponsors: Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Tenth Amendment Center, and Demand Progress
About the Bill of Rights Defense Committee
The Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC) is a national non-profit grassroots organization formed in 2001 to defend the rule of law and rights and liberties challenged by overbroad national security and counter-terrorism policies. BORDC supports an ideologically, ethnically, geographically, and generationally diverse grassroots movement to protect and restore these principles by encouraging widespread civic participation; educating people about the significance of our rights; and cultivating grassroots networks to convert concern, outrage, and fear into debate and action. For more information, visithttp://www.bordc.org or call (413) 582-0110.
About the Tenth Amendment Center
The Tenth Amendment Center is a national think tank that works to preserve and protect the principles of strictly limited government through information, education, and activism. The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of state and individual sovereignty issues, focusing primarily on the decentralization of federal government power as required by the Constitution. The Tenth Amendment Center, in conjunction with the Rhode Island Liberty Coalition, drafted the Liberty Preservation Act, now spreading across the country at both the state and local level.” For more information, visithttp://tenthamendmentcenter.com/about/ or call (213) 935-0553.
About Demand Progress
Demand Progress is a grassroots organization with more than one million members which works to promote civil rights, civil liberties, and progressive government reform. It helped lead the organizing effort in opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act, and has generated more than 200,000 emails to Congress and President Obama in opposition to the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA. For more information, visit http://demandprogress.org .
About San Diego’s Save the Bill of Rights coalition
A group of us here in San Diego County have formed a coalition of sorts, called Save the Bill of Rights. We have been meeting weekly, have a website – SavetheBillofRights.net – and we’re planning future actions and teach-ins about this issue. Contact us at info@SavetheBillofRights.net .
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Humans dumb enough to believe in managed media deserve what they get. No way could the planners of 9/11/01 have succeeded if the media had told the truth about the reason for the FAKE war on terror. At no time was the United States going to be defeated by a group of Muslim men. These were just three events by crazy people, unless you believe the official version of the almost Kissinger report. Actually we are living under the control of those who planned all of these events and will not ever be able to change it because they now have the ability to shut us up forever.
“congressional policymakers, who voted without realizing the law’s terrifying implications” And how is this a fact? You reached all the Yea’s (including Mr. Filner’s abstention) and they claimed ignorance of the ‘terrifying implications,” is this how we are to believe this astounding claim? If only one congressperson ___hole, had said this, it would be a lie. Remember all those safeguards, years ago, the hill people, a la Senator Frank Church and Co., voted to ensure/protect citizen rights? This conjured assumption is utterly false. Malcolm X, on Congress, ” Oh they know [exactly] what they are doing, and as long as they have been doing it, they are experts at it”
“…congressional policymakers, who voted without realizing the law’s terrifying implications…” Really? Congressional policymakers (Surely, those words must mean members of the House of Representatives) eliminated a centuries old citizen’s protection from oppressive arrests without knowing it? No immediate call for tar and feathers? No dangling effigies? Do we sleep? Are we dead?
Sorry about the negativity. I do find it invigorating that this effort is under way; support should be universal.
It’s not negativity, protecting free speech and assembly. That’s a giant positive and the thing about OBRag and the contributing correspondence is the verification process that we are not fucking nuts and most of what’s said is true. The point is, though, like hermanos, Carlos and Frederick stated, analyzing the world is one thing, the point is to change it.
This situation cannot obtain–only the ney votes count now, from whatever side of the “aisle.” Plus those outraged by this subterfuge. That would be the vast majority of the populi. This should be “thee” presidential campaign issue, yes? What future for legitimate (us) protest if they (a clear and present danger) get to define the framework, including our physical assembly (surrounded with no exit by badges to teach a lesson and remind who is in charge)?
So, how to mobilize, is the question. All that agree, agree, that part is done. How to make them (the malignant ones–imagine how many times these assholes have preached ‘democracy” to fool folks) pay, forever. New day, new tactics, new thinking, new world…we can do this.
Destroy the country in order to save it? For we, VietNam, veterans who learned the Big Truth was a Lie, Lesson, the hard way, truly, the chickens have come home to roost; it ain’t the commies at our doorstep, it’s their ( 1 %, class defined), democracy.