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Support NDAA resolutions in Montgomery County
The "war on terror" has turned into a war on our Constitution; Sections 1021 and 1022 of the National Defense Authorization Act are two of the latest broadsides against the rights of Americans and non-Americans alike. Those sections authorize "indefinite" or "preventive" detentions for charges as vague as committing a "belligerent act" or of "substantially support[ing]" terrorist groups or those "associated" with them. For more information about the NDAA, please visit our web site; for a summary of the resolution, read our introduction.
How you can help
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Sign our online petition if you haven't already -- and then please share it and this email with friends in Takoma Park and Montgomery County.
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Help collect signatures for the resolution in Takoma Park's Farmer's Market or at the Takoma Metro Station (see "Upcoming Events")
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Join us at 7:30pm on April 2, April 9, and April 16* in the Takoma Park City Council room at 7500 Maple Avenue and hold up a small "SAVE DUE PROCESS" sign like the one in the right hand column (click to download and print out).
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Begin a resolution campaign in your community.
Other ways to fight the NDAA
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Support the Udall/Smith "Due Process and Military Detention Amendments Act of 2012" (S.2175). Unlike alternative bills, it doesn't ignore the rights of non-citizens to due process; read more about it here.
Other news
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MCCRC posted a video rebuttal of WMATA police chief Michael Taborn's familiar "random bag search" announcement -- and challenges videographers to use the recording of Taborn's announcement for videos of their own.
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Peace Action Montgomery County/Fund Our Communities hope the Takoma Park City Council will also pass a resolution urging major reductions in U.S. military spending. More here.
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Occupy Montgomery County's first People's Assembly will be this Saturday, 2pm in Silver Spring's Woodside Park. (link)
Again, join us at 7:30pm on April 2, April 9, and April 16* in the Council room at 7500 Maple Avenue to support the NDAA resolution; if you haven't already signed it, add your name to our online petition for city and county resolutions like the one for Takoma Park.
This issue can seem complex. But in truth, it's about as basic as it gets: the right to due process and a real trial, and the dangers of an expanding definition of who can get detained, indefinitely, by the military.
Thanks for all you do,
Thomas Nephew
Co-founder, MCCRC
mococivilrights.wordpress.com
* Facebook event pages; alternatively, see our Google calendar entries for April 2, April 9, and April 16.
** For city council participation guidelines, click here. (Basically: state name and address, keep it to 3 minutes; speakers should usually be from Takoma Park.)
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