Fw:Constitution in Crisis :: August 2012

I'm not going to be sending this around with any regularity -- but, if you aren't familiar with this group, you may want to check it out.  We send a few bucks to it and also support ACLU.  H

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bill of Rights Defense Committee 
To: [email protected] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 1:08 PM
Subject: [Norton AntiSpam]Constitution in Crisis :: August 2012



     
      August 2012, Vol. 13 No. 8
      View this newsletter as a webpage: http://www.bordc.org/newsletter/2012/08/


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      TSA to employ new surveillance technology developed with CIA help

      Technology weblog Gizmodo recently reported on a disturbing advance in our government’s ability to violate the privacy of law--abiding Americans: a laser that can “instantly know everything about you from 164 feet away.”  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin utilizing the laser--based scanner as early as 2013, will full implementation at border crossings and airport checkpoints planned over the next two years.

      BORDC News

        BORDC in the news
        In the last month, BORDC has appeared around the country to focus public attention on legislative issues including the NDAA and the impending extension of FISA, as well as long overdue solutions to the constitutional crisis including the JUSTICE Act and the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA). 

        BORDC seeks interns for fall 2012
        As the summer comes to an end, BORDC seeks enthusiastic interns to join our team this fall. Opportunities are available throughout the US, with applications welcome through Labor Day (September 3).

        BORDC seeks Communications & Development Assistant
        BORDC seeks a Communications & Development Assistant based in Northampton, MA. A full job description is available on BORDC's website.

        Legal Fellows join BORDC, expanding communications and organizing capacity
        With the support of generous grants from the CS Fund and the Muslim Legal Fund of America, BORDC is excited to welcome MLFA Legal Fellow Michael Figura and NLG Legal Fellow Nadia Kayyali, who will join the organization in September.

        Read the latest news & analysis from the People’s Blog for the Constitution
        With staff, volunteers, and interns contributing compelling content on a daily basis, the People’s Blog for the Constitution continued to attract growing traffic last month, setting an all--time traffic record with nearly 20,000 hits over the month of July.

        Whether you are a new reader, or a long time fan, we’ve made it even easier to get familiar with BORDC’s guiding principles and issues confronting our country. See our recent“Best of the Blog” highlight reel summarizing some of the topics you won’t hear about in the mainstream media.

        Highlights from the past month include:

          a.. Frozen justice: Top ICE official sends Islamaphobic email without facing repercussion by Mackenzie Peterson 
          b.. America’s One Party State by Shahid Buttar 
          c.. Hold doctors accountable for torture by Nick Sibilla 
          d.. Civil liberties advocates rally in San Francisco against torture and NDAA by Munazza Fairooz Khan 
          e.. Justice Department and FBI to review thousands of forensic evidence cases and possible wrongful convictions by Kaila C. Randolph 
          f.. Can You Hear Me Now? How Obama expanded over communications by Zoeth Flegenheimer 
          g.. Spying in Our Own Nation? by Umer Malik 
          h.. New investigation: Inside New York City’s most policed precinct by Annette Macaluso 
        Grassroots organizers explain their passion for civil liberties
        In May, BORDC brought together 25 activists from 15 cities and 11 states who are organizing Local Civil Rights Restoration campaigns in their communities. At the convening, several activists shared their reasons for participating in these campaigns in video interviews. BORDC released the latest videos this month.  

      Grassroots News

        Patriot Award: Denisa Jashari
        Every month, BORDC honors an individual who has done outstanding work in support of civil liberties and the rule of law in his or her community. This month, the Patriot Award goes to Denisa Jashari for her invaluable service to the movement for civil liberties and human rights in the state of Connecticut.

        Grassroots resistance stops San Francisco Mayor’s proposed stop & frisk plan
        Bay Area mobilizes to resist indefinite detention under NDAA & AUMF
        Local coalition launches civil rights campaign in Charlotte, NC
        Connecticut mobilizes to challenge hate crimes and repression of dissent
      Law and Policy
        Senate confirms nominees to long dormant Privacy & Civil Liberties Oversight Board
        After years of delay in Washington under both major parties, the Senate finally confirmed all five nominees to the Privacy & Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), created by Congress nearly 10 years ago at the suggestion of the 9-11 Commission. 

        NSA seeking new powers, despite challenges from whistleblowers and Congress
        Our government’s war on transparency took a new twist this month, with yet another government whistleblower appearing in court—not in defense of prosecution, but rather to sue the government for seizing her computer and refusing to clear her of wrongdoing.

        Congress attempts overdue oversight of extrajudicial assassination
        Three years after CIA drones killed three Americans without trial or due process, Congress is finally asking the Obama administration to explain its legal reasoning justifying its authority to kill Americans abroad. Two proposed measures would oblige the Obama administration to show Congress internal memos that outline the legality for President Obama’s “kill doctrine.”

        NYPD expands unconstitutional surveillance & monitoring
        A new software system recently launched by the New York Police Department has been touted by supporters as a new and improved way to “aid in the detection of preparations to conduct terrorist attacks.” In addition to suppressing dissent and committing senseless violence, evidence has also emerged of institutional racism within the NYPD.

        Chicago City Council approves police torture settlement
        Last month, the Chicago City Council approved the latest settlement in a 30 year saga of police abuse, torture, and cover-up. Beginning in the early 1980s, former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and a gang of detectives tortured dozens of innocent African American men, forcing false confessions of crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder.

      New Resources and Opportunities

        Book review: Presidents and Civil Liberties from Wilson to Obama: A Story of Poor Custodians by Samuel Walker
        Samuel Walker’s latest book Presidents and Civil Liberties from Wilson to Obama: A Story of Poor Custodians details the untold story of our nation’s leaders in their cumulative failure to guard and advance our civil liberties.

        Share your feedback to bring BORDC to a broader base
        Has BORDC’s work to defend and protect civil liberties helped advance your grassroots activism? Today, you have an exciting opportunity to help us make an even bigger difference in our communities and expand our work nationwide. If you like BORDC’s work, please share your feedback with others at Great NonProfits, a review site like Amazon Book Reviews or Yelp that is currently rating the most effective non-profits. By writing a review of BORDC, you can help expose new audiences to our work and even enable our eligibility for an award.

        August 2012: promote civil liberties during the congressional recess
        This August, grassroots constitutionalists enjoy a great opportunity to bring local voices to the federal debate. As our congressional representatives make their way home for the month, we need to make sure they hear from We, the People. Sign up to help make sure civil liberties are in the debate.





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        Help BORDC restore the rule of law
          a.. Get involved! Volunteer, organize, raise your voice—we have an opportunity that's right for everyone. 
          b.. Read our blog. We publish the latest civil liberties news, plus analysis beyond the headlines. 
          c.. Support our work! Donate online or mail a check or money order to: 
        Bill of Rights Defense Committee
        8 Bridge Street, Suite A
        Northampton, MA 01060 


          a.. Follow BORDC on Facebook and Twitter. Connect with other supporters and help build the movement. 
          b.. Spread the word! Forward this email newsletter to your friends and family. 
     

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Bill of Rights Defense Committee
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