Local coalition declares victory as Carbondale City Council passes anti-PATRIOT Act resolution

Joint Release

Local coalition declares victory as Carbondale City Council passes anti-PATRIOT Act resolution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CARBONDALE, Feb. 3, 2004—The Carbondale City Council voted Tuesday, February 3, to adopt a resolution urging a series of actions by Congress and the President to “restore and protect our nation’s fundamental and inalienable rights and liberties.”

The resolution “supports the sunset of key provisions of the Patriot Act,” and it urges the President and executive branch to “review, revise, and rescind executive orders and policies adopted since the terrorist attacks [of September 11, 2001], that limit or compromise the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

A local coalition of four civic organizations—the Shawnee Green Party, the Southern Illinois Libertarians, the Southern Illinois chapter of the ACLU and the Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois—initially brought the issue before the Council at its January 20 meeting, and presented petitions with more than 300 signatures supporting the resolution to the Council on February 3. Representatives of the four organizations—Rich Whitney of the Shawnee Green Party, Mark Schneider of the ACLU, Jim Syler of the Southern Illinois Libertarians and Scott Schuette of the Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois—spoke in favor of the resolution, drawing applause from the standing-room-only crowd on more than one occasion. Several Council members also spoke in favor of the resolution before the 5-2 vote.

“We’re thrilled with the outcome,” said Jim Syler, Chair of the Southern Illinois Libertarians. “Four people representing four organizations came together and started this process. Let no one say that one person or a small group cannot make a difference, because we’ve proved today that they can. The voice of the people of Carbondale has been added to the millions decrying the assaults on our civil liberties since the attacks of 9/11/01.”

The text of the resolution is available at <http://www.il.lp.org/affiliates/sil/press/>.