If you're on this site, you probably are already aware of some of the dangers to our civil liberities posed by the USA Patriot Act. Intended to make it easier to uncover terrorist plots, the USA Patriot Act seriously endangers the rights and freedoms we take for granted in the United States. It's now ridiculously easy for Federal invesitgators to obtain wiretaps, infiltrate organizations, hold individuals without charge, and other activities that go against the bill of rights.
City councils and other community organizations have passed resolutions condmening the Patriot Act; some organizations have even attempted to make it illegal for local authorities to cooperate with intrusive Federal investigations using the Patriot Act as justification for invading individuals' privacy.
Given that the Baltimore City Council passed a resolution condemning a war in Iraq, I think we ought to be able to get our local elected officials to pass a similar resolution against the Patriot Act. Stand up for your rights, and write to your council persons to get them to introduce, sponsor and support a city council resolution against the Patriot Act.
Read up on the Patriot Act and the national campaign to fight against it locally on the ACLU's Safe and Free webpages. Link from www.aclu.org/safeandfree.
Find out who your council persons are at www.baltimorecitycouncil.com.
Write to your senators and congressperson and tell them your concerns.
Other communities across the country are passing strong resolutions against this dangerous erosion of our rights, and we can do the same here in Baltimore!