Fw: [IAC] 10,000+ sign on to Defend the First Amendment

["Ulliana Stefano" <ulliana1 at tin.it>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Action Center" <ActionCenter.actgen at action-mail.org>
To: <ActionCenter.actgen at action-mail.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 5:42 PM
Subject: [IAC] 10,000+ sign on to Defend the First Amendment


> OVER 10,000 SIGN ON TO DEFEND THE FIRST AMENDMENT
>
> Over 10,000 organizations and individuals have already
> signed the following statement in support of the First
> Amendment and in opposition to the FBI's targeting of the
> antiwar movement (over 6,000 on the first day that
> A.N.S.W.E.R., VoteNoWar.org and others began circulating
> this statement). Initial signers include former U.S.
> Attorney General Ramsey Clark; historian Howard Zinn;
> National Lawyers Guild Executive Director Heidi Boghosian;
> Ron Kovic, author Born on the Fourth of July, and others.
>
> We want to get tens of thousands more signers and
> publicize this campaign to support the First Amendment
> which is under attack. It is crucial that people in the
> anti-war movement take strong, proactive actions to expose
> Bush's and Ashcroft's efforts to intimidate and stifle
> political dissent. That so many thousands of organizations
> and individuals immediately stepped forward to show their
> support is an expression of the power of the people to
> stop the ultra-right enemies of Free Speech. Let's keep
> the pressure up in the days ahead. If you or others would
> like to sign the statement you can click on the link
> below, underneath the statement.
>
> In the past year the antiwar movement has grown into one
> of the most important political forces in society, which
> is why Bush and Ashcroft have set out to try to silence
> and intimidate the people of conscience across the United
> States who have stepped forward to fight for justice and
> peace. We will not allow the Bush administration to turn
> the clock back to a time of J. Edgar Hoover and Nixon-era
> attacks on those who opposed the war in Vietnam, the civil
> rights movement and the fight for justice. The momentum
> and power of the United States anti-war and free speech
> movement is growing every day.
>
> ***************
>
> DEFEND THE FIRST AMENDMENT
> OPPOSE THE FBI'S TARGETING OF THE ANTIWAR MOVEMENT
>
> We the undersigned stand in defense of the First Amendment
> and in opposition to the Bush Administration's expanding
> effort to stifle dissent. Confronted with a rising tide of
> political opposition from the people of the United States,
> who are outraged at the lies used to justify a war and
> occupation of Iraq, Bush and Ashcroft are resorting to
> crass intimidation tactics against the anti-war movement.
>
> The current campaign of FBI intimidation was revealed in
> the front-page NY Times story of Sunday, November 23 under
> the headline: "F.B.I. SCRUTINIZES ANTIWAR RALLIES -
> Officials Say Effort Aims at 'Extremist Elements.'" Citing
> an internal FBI memorandum circulated ten days prior to
> the October 25 demonstrations that drew 100,000 in
> Washington D.C. and 20,000 in San Francisco, this well
> placed "revelation" of FBI targeting of the antiwar
> movement should be seen as a measure of the desperation of
> an Administration that is increasingly alarmed that people
> of this country are rejecting its illegal and immoral
> policies.
>
> As they become isolated on Iraq, Bush and Ashcroft are
> borrowing a page from the Nixon and Mitchell tenure during
> Vietnam: use the secret police and FBI to disrupt and
> intimidate their opponents. Like Nixon they will fail
> because the people of the United States will stand
> together to reject FBI intimidation. Bush and Ashcroft
> seek to stifle dissent by making the exercise of First
> Amendment rights synonymous with terrorism but the people
> will defend these cherished rights today as they have been
> forced to in the past. We will never be silenced!
>
> We publicly affirm the right to express dissent and to
> engage in protest free from FBI and government harassment
> and we vow to support the growing efforts of the antiwar
> movement to end the illegal and ongoing war and occupation
> of Iraq.
>
> To SIGN the statement in defense of the First Amendment
> and opposition to the FBI's targeting of the antiwar
> movement, fill out the easy-to-use form at
> http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/fbi/index.html#sign
>
> ---------------------
>
> Email circulated by:
> A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
> Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
>
> FOR MORE INFORMATION:
> http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
> info at internationalanswer.org
> New York 212-633-6646
> Washington 202-332-5757
> Los Angeles 213-487-2368
> San Francisco 415-821-6545
>
> Sign up to receive updates (low volume):
> http://www.internationalanswer.org/subscribelist.html
>
> To make a tax-deductible donation, go to
> http://www.internationalanswer.org/donate.html
>
> ------------------
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