Bill of Rights Defense Campaign

BILL OF RIGHTS Defense Committee - Working with communities to uphold the Bill of RightsWe the People
Working with communities to uphold the Bill of Rights
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Notes from June 5, 2007, Conference Call

Colorado Military Commission Act Teach-Ins
Petitioning Congressional Representatives
Rallies and Public Displays
More Local Efforts
Strategies for Raising Awareness
Week of July 4
Raising Public Awareness

Week of June 26 National and Local Actions

Many national groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Center for Constitutional Rights, Friends Committee on National Legislation, and National Religious Campaign Against Torture are joining together to make June 26 a day of referendum on habeas corpus and the Military Commissions Act (MCA) in Washington, D.C., and at district offices of our Congressional representatives. For a full list of co-sponsors, click here. More information is also available a the main BORDC June 29 page and more event listings are available here.

JUNE ACTION

  • On June 26, people from across the country will meet in Washington, D.C. to rally at Upper Senate Park, then go directly to Capitol Hill to lobby their senators and representatives. Complete details about the Day of Action, including transportation, schedule, and petition copies are available here.

JUNE ACTION AT HOME

  1. The week of June 25 to June 29 is a National Call-In to Congress, so that those back home can keep Congressional phones ringing to bring back habeas corpus and dismantle the Military Commissions Act. Complete details about the National Call-In to Congress is available here.
  2. Locally, the effort to raise public awareness and show our Congressional representatives the importance of restoring liberty and justice for all will take place in many cities and towns – in MCA teach-ins, in rallies at federal offices, in petition signatures delivered to Congressional offices, and a myriad of other local actions. More information is available here and here. Here are a few of those already planned:
  • Colorado Military Commission Act Teach-Ins: (Colorado Springs – June 11, Denver – June 12 and Fort Collins – June 14) from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
    Each teach-in provides basic information about the Military Commissions Act and legislation aimed at restoring the rights it abolished. Each also features break-out sessions to help in grassroots organizing and training on how to lobby elected officials, with help from partners like the Center for Progressive Leadership, the Latina Initiative, and Progress Now. Click here for more information.
  • Petitioning Congressional Representatives
    • Eugene, Oregon – A coalition of groups, ACLU of Lane County, Community Alliance of Lane County, CAUSA, and Code Pink plan to hold a rally and deliver petitions to Senator Gordon Smith’s office at the federal building on June 26.
    • Northampton, Massachusetts – the Pioneer Valley Coalition Against Secrecy and Torture will deliver petitions against the MCA, torture, Guantanamo to Congressional representatives on June 26.
    • Durham, North Carolina – June 26 delivery of petitions to support the “Restore the Constitution Act” to the offices of Congressional representatives.

      Copies of a petition created by the ACLU can be downloaded here.
      Copies of a petition created by a local group in Eugene, OR can be downloaded here.
  • Rallies and Public Displays
    • Northampton, Massachusetts – the Pioneer Valley Coalition Against Secrecy and Torture plans a “Burma-Shave” type sign display during high traffic drive time. Suggested signs: Restore Habeas. Shut Down Guantanamo. Call Congress at 202 224-3121.
    • Durham, North Carolina - Delivery of petitions, see above.
  • More Local Efforts
    • Durham, North Carolina – North Carolina Stop Torture Now is networking with plane-spotters in Europe and is holding a weekend plane-spotting workshop to train people in how to spot the rendition planes that fly from the United States to Europe, linking a global network through which the U.S. transports victims of torture.
    • Glendale, California – The annual Cruise Night on June 21 features people and their cars, and an opportunity to host booths with flyers and petitions on the loss of habeas corpus
    • New York City – Witness Against Torture has been holding vigils and doing petitioning two Saturdays each month and is sending those petitions to federal representatives.
    • Tyler, TX – Several local groups are preparing for a rally and vigil at the Hutto Detention Center on June 9 and June 23 to highlight the detention abuses happening right here in the United States. Their theme is “No Child Left Behind Bars,” noting the frequency of families being separated at these detention centers, where innocent children (and often innocent parents) are kept locked up. For more information, click here.
  • Strategies for Raising Awareness

WEEK OF JULY 4 – LOCAL AND REGIONAL ACTIONS

Historically, the BORDC and its grassroots allies have used existing parades, festivals, and other local events as opportunities for raising public awareness about the loss of our liberties on Independence Day, and during the week of Congressional recess July 2 through 6. It’s a time when senators and representatives are back at home, and can be buttonholed at a backyard barbeque or at a town hall meeting. When it becomes clear to them that their constituents want them to guard our liberties, it gives them the courage to co-sponsor legislation, and to vote for legislation that rolls back the erosions of rights from the past six years.

Here are some of the local activities mentioned on the conference call:

  • Fairbanks, AK -- Every year the Fairbanks BORDC participates in the local 4th of July Celebration at Pioneer Park along providing buttons, bumper stickers, and leaflets to the public. This year, they are focusing their message on 3 key issues: illegal warrantless wiretapping, Real ID, Habeas Corpus.
  • Denver, CO -- The ACLU of Colorado hosts an annual 4-mile “Liberty Run, Walk & Festival of Rights” at Washington Park that attracts 450-500 people. The celebration includes activities for children and adults including many different games for kids, teenagers, and adults that highlight the Bill of Rights and the threat of racial profiling. On display will be a GrafFREETi Wall created by students decorating stacked boxes, answering the question, “What Freedom Means to Me.” For more information, click here.
  • Friday Harbor, WA -- The town of 4000 holds a 4th of July parade that draws as many as 5,000-10,000 participants. Local ACLU activists are planning on having a presence with banners and signs celebrating the importance of the Bill of Rights in our lives.
  • Amherst, MA -- Local civil liberties groups carry signs in a private parade which has strict rules for participation. The signs are excerpts of the Bill of Rights – a set of statements that speak for themselves.

Raising Public Awareness – some of those stumbling blocks

As many of us have learned over years of activism, rallies and parades may be publicly or privately organized. Usually if a group obtains a permit to organize a parade or rally, they may also determine the content of that gathering. Many activists on the call mentioned recent incidents in which peace and civil liberties issues were not accepted by parade or rally sponsors.

If confrontation serves a purpose, it can be a useful tool. But in trying to raise public awareness about torture and rendition, the loss of habeas corpus, abuses of executive power, misuse of National Security Letters, etc., it is usually safe ground when you stand with your neighbor in agreement that the Bill of Rights is to be protected and restored – and build your case for how those rights can be restored at a pace that respects each person you’re trying to convince.

Please continue to check the BORDC website for up-to-date information on rallies, actions and legislation. http://bordc.org