Letter Printed in the Montclair Times

Patriot Act threatens rights
Wednesday, April 14, 2004

At its last public meeting, the Township Council was urged by residents to oppose the USA Patriot Act. Approximately 150 people attended this meeting with the objective of persuading the council that the Patriot Act threatens the rights of Montclair residents as it does of all Americans.

The Patriot Act takes away rights of privacy by increasing the legality of phone taps and Internet/e-mail surveillance, by collecting information about medical records, personal finances, books purchased from bookstores or checked out from libraries.

It is illegal for the institution providing information to tell the person being investigated that inquiries have been made about her/him. The Act limits freedom of speech by targeting individuals and organizations that have dis-senting views. It restricts due process and right to counsel, which has already resulted in hundreds of people, particularly people of Arab descent, being detained indefinitely with no trial and no right to counsel.

The Montclair Campaign to Defend Civil Liberties will continue its effort to convince the Montclair Township Council to pass a resolution in opposition to this undemocratic Act. The council is scheduled to meet next on April 20 at 8 p.m. The Campaign is encouraging people to attend and be heard.

NANCY WINKLER

Montclair

 

Montclair Campaign to Defend Civil Liberties