Author: Paola Manduca Date: Subject: [NuovoLaboratorio] Fwd: [ANSWER]: 10,
000+ sign on to Defend the First Amendment
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>From: <answer.general@???> (A.N.S.W.E.R.)
>Subject: [ANSWER]: 10,000+ sign on to Defend the First Amendment
>Date: Mon, 01 Dec 2003 23:37:58 -0500
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>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!
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>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 >
>---------------------
>
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