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WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Members of the Green Party have joined other Americans protesting the
manipulation of fears about terrorism in order to violate basic
liberties and constitutional rights of due process and fair treatment
under the law.
"From the round-ups of hundreds of Americans of Middle Eastern
descent and Muslims to the application of the word 'terrorism' to
unrelated allegations, we're beginning to see suppression of rights
similar to McCarthyism and the hysteria over communism," said Anita
Rios, an Ohio Green activist and national steering committee
member.
Greens see special danger in the agenda of Attorney General John
Ashcroft, who has tried to crush democratic dissent by suggesting that
U.S. citizens who criticize Bush policy only "aid
terrorists."
In Florida, West Virginia, and Indiana, students have been expelled from
school for criticizing the war. Journalists and activists have been
harassed and have lost jobs for not backing the war effort. Sami
Al-Arian, a tenured professor of computer science and activist for
Palestinian rights, was recently fired from the University of South
Florida for having made statements against Israel in 1988.
A column in Forbes magazine by Cato Institute fellow Steve H. Hanke
titled "Barbarians
at the Gate" (October 29, 2001) accuses nearly every kind of
civic organization of terrorism, including churches, when they oppose
free trade or support measures to improve the lives of working
people. Hanke urges Bush to target dissent as a menace to
"the core of Western civilization."
Even before September 11, nonviolent protesters were increasingly being
hit with huge bails and fines, multiple counts, harassment by police and
U.S. Marshals, and the threat of many months, even years, behind bars.
At the 2000 Republican Convention, some demonstrators were held on one
million dollars bail for organizing legitimate rallies or for being seen
talking on their cell phones.
Accusations of terrorism have been extended to cases that represent no
threat to security. In San Francisco, AIDS activists Michael
Petrelis and David Pasquarelli were jailed for over two months, with
bail set at $500,000 and $600,000 respectively, on a litany of felony
and misdemeanor charges, allegedly for harassing telephone calls made to
officials in protest of what they call repressive public health measures
and inaccurate information being used to frighten the public. After more
than two months in custody, a second judge reduced the bail in the face
of public protest, and the two were recently released to await
trial.
In a display of what Greens call bipartisanship at its worst, Rep. Nancy
Pelosi (D-Cal.) requested investigation of Petrelis and Pasquarelli --
her own constituents -- under the 'USA PATRIOT' Anti-terrorism Act,
which allows the suspension of due process and other constitutional
guarantees. Greens allege that the act, which Congress passed with
overwhelming bipartisan support, would not pass the scrutiny of a
court.
"Do the allegations merit investigation and possible
prosecution?," asked Starlene Rankin, media coordinator of the
Illinois Green Party and organizer of the growing national Lavender
(gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) Greens Caucus. "Yes. But do
they constitute a terrorist threat to national security, justification
for excessive bail, arbitrary upgrading of charges from misdemeanors to
serious felonies, and abrogation of due process? No."
"Public officials, with the support of political and organizational
leaders -- especially those who've been stung by Petrelis's
whistle-blowing AIDS Accountability Project and exposure of
organizational improprieties and inflated salaries -- have found a
convenient way to banish gadflies and a tactic for chilling
dissent," added Rankin. "Petrelis and Paquarelli deserve fair
treatment by the legal system, in proportion to the alleged harms.
Regardless of one's opinion about the accusations or the accused, the
implications are frightening for anyone who engages in political protest
and civil disobedience."
Greens call for close public scrutiny to hold law enforcement officers,
prosecutors, and courts accountable for violations of constitutional
rights in the investigation and prosecution of political
activists.
"When President Bush named Tom Ridge head of the Office of Homeland
Security on October 8, Ridge said 'Liberty is the most precious gift we
offer to our citizens.' Gov. Ridge was wrong," said Tom Sevigny, a
Connecticut Green and member of the party's national steering committee.
"Liberty, like democracy and other basic rights, is the foundation
of our nation, not a 'gift' from an indulgent
government."
"The willingness of the Bush Administration to rescind basic rights
and freedoms, with the complicity of Democrats, puts the basis for our
democracy into a state of peril greater than any threat from outside
terrorism. It's an exercise in homeland lawlessness in the name of
security."
More Information
The Green Party of the United States: http://gpus.org
& http://www.gp.org
Details, petition, and debate on the Petrelis-Pasquarelli case:
http://www.openletteronline.com/cgi-openletteronline/aget3.cgi?feat=23
"Barbarians at the Gate" by Cato fellow Steve H. Hanke
http://www.cato.org/dailys/10-16-01.html
Contacts:
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com
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