RebelINK

The Pentagon has said it will shut down its TALON program, which collected information on groups deemed a threat to the U.S. military. Quakers, churches, and student anti-war organizations were among the groups watched by TALON. According to the BCC:

A Pentagon review found that it had included reports on peaceful protesters and anti-war demonstrations which should have been deleted.

However, the report by the defense department’s inspector general said the Pentagon had acted legally in collecting information on US citizens because the reports were gathered for law enforcement rather than intelligence purposes. (read the entire article)

Honestly, that makes me feel so much better.

Kot Hordynski is a student that was involved in one of the groups watched by TALON. You can find out more about his experiences from the ACLU.

For the second time, the White House let the deadline pass for providing Congress information on the NSA’s warrentless wiretapping program. From the ACLU press release:

“The Bush administration’s persistent stonewalling represents a unique kind of arrogance,” said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. “Since this program’s disclosure, the Senate has asked for key documentation only to be repeatedly denied. After bulldozing broad reforms to FISA through both chambers two weeks ago, the administration believes it can push this Congress around. Congress has to stand up to this administration by holding it in contempt and by revisiting its rash reforms to FISA.”

As you know, the House and Senate “modernized FISA” just a few weeks ago. The changes only last 6 months, and if we can learn what the warrentless wiretaps have been used for, there is hope that Congress will let the changes expire. The Senate Judiciary Committee must do everything in its power to get these records.

According to the ACLU:

California cities are moving quickly to install video surveillance cameras on public streets and plazas without regulations, with little or no public debate, and without an evaluation of their effectiveness, according to an American Civil Liberties Union report released today.

continued…

Surveillance cameras are an extremely controversial issue. Although cameras may be appropriate in some situations, the benefits of such cameras must be very carefully weighed against the threat to civil liberties. In addition, alternatives to surveillance cameras must be looked into. However, many local governments across the nation are rushing to install these cameras as an ‘easy solution.’

Surveillance cameras have many flaws. Although they may assist in solving crimes, they are not capable of stopping a crime in progress, as a police officer would be. In addition, surveillance cameras have the potential to interfere with privacy. Do you really want a video of you kissing your SO showing up on You Tube? There is no guarantee that the video will remain in the sole custody of the city, or that it will be destroyed if not needed for a criminal investigation.

The ACLU wants to find out. They have requested information on the legal scope of the government’s authority to wiretap its own citizens, and the FISA Court has asked the government to respond to the request by August 31. It will be interesting to see if the government agrees to the request.

ACLU Press Release

The West Virgina have reached a settlement in an important 1st Amendment case. Jeff and Nicole Rank were arrested at a 4th of July speech by President Bush in 2004 for wearing anti-bush t-shirts. From the Charleston Gazette article about the settlement:

The federal government has agreed to pay $80,000 to a Texas couple arrested for wearing anti-President Bush T-shirts at a 2004 event with the president in Charleston.

Jeff and Nicole Rank went to Bush’s Fourth of July speech at the state Capitol wearing homemade T-shirts with a red circle with a bar through it over the word “Bush.”

On the back, hers read “Love America, Hate Bush” and his read “Regime Change Starts At Home.”

When the couple refused to cover up their shirts, they were arrested and charged with trespassing. Those charges were later dropped by the city of Charleston, and city officials later apologized.

The American Civil Liberties Union subsequently filed a lawsuit on the Ranks’ behalf in federal court in Charleston, alleging that the Ranks’ First Amendment right to free political speech had been violated.

continued…

ACLU Lawsuit

ACLU Press Release

There’s not really much to say, except to hope for the best. The government has until 31 August 2007 to respond to the ruling.

WASHINGTON - In an unprecedented order, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) has required the U.S. government to respond to a request it received last week by the American Civil Liberties Union for orders and legal papers discussing the scope of the government’s authority to engage in the secret wiretapping of Americans. According to the FISC’s order, the ACLU’s request “warrants further briefing,” and the government must respond to it by August 31. The court has said that any reply by the ACLU must be filed by September 14.

(continued)

According to the ACLU, ‘voodoo’ science is being used as evidence in some murder trials. Michael West uses evidence he finds in bite marks and scratches other forensic experts cannot see to ‘prove’ the defendant is guilty. You can read more about West’s bizarre forensic ’science’ from Fox News.

If inaccurate, misleading information is allowed to be submitted as evidence, particularly in such a way that the defense has difficulty arguing against it, not only could the creditability of our justice system be at stake, but our very freedoms are at risk.

It appears that the Senate has passed the changes to FISA that Bush demanded, but the changes only last 6 months. According to ABC News, the bill would allow the government to continue warrantless wiretaps, but would require them to describe the methods used in a secret court. The House will likely vote on the bill tomorrow. Call your representative and tell them not to vote for this bill!

According to a Washington Post story, it is possible that the President’s sudden push to have FISA “Modernized” may be because of a classified opinion that stated that the government had overstepped its authority in having the wireless wiretaps, because even though the targets may be foreigners, U.S. citizens may be having their rights violated in the process.

The NSA’s warrantless wiretapping program is not the only instance of the U.S. government using data-mining. The FBI has requested funding for their own data-mining program. And a deal with the European Union could give the government access to information about Union membership, sexual orientation, and the political beliefs of international travelers.

How much do we want the government to know about us? How easy should it be for them to get our information?

If I trusted my government, I wouldn’t mind them having a record of my sexual orientation. But then again, a government I trusted wouldn’t want a record of my sexual orientation.

Recently, the Supreme Court decided that if you do not sue within 180 days of first receiving discriminatory pay (not 180 days from you learning you are receiving discriminatory pay), you cannot sue your employer. However, Congress is working to fix this problem. The House just passed H.R. 2831, the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.” While I disapprove of naming bills (it is just another propaganda tool, particularly when a person’s name is used), this bill is a step in the right direction. Hopefully the Senate will also pass the bill.

ACLU Press Release