usapa

who is keeping government accountable? librarians?

The Columbia Journalism Review has an article about the responsibility of journalists to demand accountability from their government. It includes a little blurb noting that librarians’ response to the USA PATRIOT Act is one of the things that keeps USAPA on people’s radar screens, and helps keep people aware of their rights — pre-USAPA and post-USAPA.

Librarians participated in rallies, challenging Attorney General John Ashcroft when his road show promoting the Patriot Act came to some towns in the summer of 2003. They expect to collect one million signatures by the end of September to support amending the act. This from librarians. Where are the journalists? A fundamental tenet of the American system is that a free flow of information is essential to democracy. That flow is being pinched like never before. Instead of passively standing by, journalism should be working against this dangerous trend. [thanks chris]

the USAPA “a long bill”

Posted on 15Aug04 by jessamyn

Well, looks like someone else got to hear Kerry mention the USA PATRIOT Act, John Perry Barlow.

had a conversation with Kerry. It was pretty disheartening. I asked how he felt about civil liberties. He said, “I’m for ’em!” That’s great, but how do you feel about Section 215 of the Patriot Act? He said, “What’s that?” I said, it basically says any privately generated database is available for public scrutiny with an administrative subpoena. He says, “It says that?” I say, “You voted for it!” He says, “Well, it was a long bill….” [randomwalks]

USAPA in the field

Posted on 15Jul04 by jessamyn

The Justice Department has just released a report [pdf] that gives over 30 examples of how the USA PATRIOT Act has been used so far to fight terrorism. The ACLU responds.

The report also sidesteps any mention of the Patriot Act’s use against innocent Americans whose records have been turned over to the FBI, and fails to mention the frequency of intrusive investigations that did not result in prosecutions.

is USAPA fixable

Posted on 13Jul04 by jessamyn

The Center for Democracy and Technology is keeping track of legislative efforts to fix parts of the USA PATRIOT Act.

USA PATRIOT Act stays as is, suck

Posted on 09Jul04 by jessamyn

Sanders-Paul-Conyers-Otter-Nadler Freedom to Read Amendment barely fails. USA PATRIOT Act stays as is with regards to surveillance rights in bookstores and libraries. Democrats chant “shame, shame, shame” over GOP tactics. One vote would have made the difference. Shame indeed. How did your rep vote?

The amendment, facing threat of a Presidential veto, received a majority of votes in the U.S. House when the time for voting expired. However, the House Republican Leadership then held open the vote twice as long as scheduled, an additional 20 minutes, as they “persuaded” Republicans to switch their votes.