Individual rights now protected by the Constitution should not be weakened or abridged.

"The League of Women Voters of the United States believes in the individual liberties guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. The League is convinced that individual rights now protected by the Constitution should not be weakened or abridged." With this in mind, the LWVKA has joined the Task Force for the Defense of the Bill of Rights. We are supporting that group's efforts to encourage the Kalamazoo City Commission pass the Community Resolution to Protect Civil Liberties. This measure has already been approved by more than 135 communities and 3 states. The following letter was sent to the Kalamazoo City Commission to voice our support of the measure.

May 30, 2003

The Kalamazoo City Commission
241 West South Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49007

Dear Mayor Jones and City Commissioners:

This letter is written in support of the COMMUNITY RESOLUTION TO PROTECT CIVIL LIBERTIES proposed by the Task Force for the Defense of the Bill of Rights.

The League of Women Voters of the Kalamazoo Area (LWVKA) is a non-partisan political organization. LWVKA does not support individual candidates or political parties but we do develop positions on issues after careful study. We promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive and that protects individual liberties established by the Constitution. LWVKA supports the COMMUNITY RESOLUTION as necessary to protect the civil rights of the residents of Kalamazoo.

The COMMUNITY RESOLUTION is of particular importance to citizens for the following reasons:

The USA PATRIOT Act, by expanding the definition of "terrorism," subjects political and religious organizations to surveillance, wiretapping, harassment, and criminal action for political or religious activity. By enacting the COMMUNITY RESOLUTION, the City will decline to expend City resources for surveillance of individuals or groups based on activities protected by the First Amendment without further suspicion of criminal activity.
The USA PATRIOT Act expands the ability of law enforcement to conduct secret searches of the residents of Kalamazoo. The COMMUNITY RESOLUTION ensures that the City will refrain from voluntary compliance with federal requests for expenditure of City resources in the secret search of any resident of the City whose property is the subject of the search.
The U.S. Government plans to enlist local law enforcement agents to enforce federal immigration laws. In passing the COMMUNITY RESOLUTION, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety will be directed not to voluntarily engage in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The COMMUNITY RESOLUTION further affirms the City Commission's strong support for the rights of immigrants.
The USA PATRIOT Act permits the detention of a person without charge and denies the right to counsel under such circumstances. Under the COMMUNITY RESOLUTION, the City will decline to expend City resources, including use of City personnel, for the detention of individuals without charge and without access to an attorney.
The COMMUNITY RESOLUTION urges the members of the Michigan Congressional Delegation to actively seek the revocation of sections of the USA PATRIOT Act, or any other federal legislation, order, or directive which limits or violates the fundamental rights and liberties of persons as found in the United States and Michigan Constitutions, and to restore the checks and balances inherent in our constitutional tradition.

We wish to support the City Commission in taking a stand in opposition to the portions of the USA PATRIOT Act and other federal policies that curtail the civil rights of the residents of Kalamazoo and urge the City Commission to enact the COMMUNITY RESOLUTION as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Sue Nelmes, President
League of Women Voters Kalamazoo Area