Council Applauded, Criticized for PATRIOT Act##M:[more]##
The West Windsor Citizens for Civil Liberties (WWCCL) thanks the West Windsor Township Council for passing a resolution (Dec. 6, 2004) regarding the USA PATRIOT Act.
WWCCL was formed by a group of West Windsor residents who are very concerned about the USA PATRIOT Act and its profound impact on civil liberties. WWCCL recognizes the critical need for our government to take appropriate means to try to protect us from terrorism. Given the atmosphere of fear stemming from 9/11 in which the USA PATRIOT Act was passed, however, we believe that the Act goes too far and does not strike the right balance between protecting us from terrorism while maintaining our civil liberties.
Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act just 45 days after the September 11 attacks, with virtually no debate. This 342-page piece of legislation allows for the broadest expansion of police and law enforcement powers in the recent history of our country. Some of the most troubling provisions of the Act enable the FBI to access private records, including medical records, library records and student records, without the need for a warrant or establishing probable cause that a crime has occurred or is about to occur. A “gag provision” within the Act makes it so that the person searched may never learn that he or she has been the subject of government surveillance.
There is a grassroots campaign across the country to pass local, regional and state resolutions in an effort to defend the United States Constitution against the threats to civil liberties posed by the USA PATRIOT Act. Considering that the USA PATRIOT Act was passed without opportunity for Congress or the citizens of the United States to evaluate and comment on its provisions, it is meaningful for local communities to inform our federal elected officials about our desire to protect our civil liberties in each and every community.
West Windsor Township joins a growing list in Mercer County of municipalities who have passed similar resolutions, including Ewing Township, Lawrence Township, and Princeton Borough, as well as the Mercer County Board of Freeholders. It also joins 358 towns (including Philadelphia and New York City) in 43 states, and four states that have already passed resolutions regarding the USA PATRIOT Act. These towns and states represent more than 55 million Americans.
We believe passing such resolutions in our local communities will have three effects:
1.) Serve as an educational tool to make the public aware of the danger to our civil liberties posed by the USA PATRIOT Act;
2.) Facilitate passage of a state resolution;
3.) Provide support for federal legislative changes to amend the USA PATRIOT Act.
Residents of other local municipalities interested in pursuing passage of similar resolutions in their communities may contact WWCCL@aol.com for information and resources. Firoozeh Vali, WWCCL Coordinator, Village Road West, Princeton Junction
Karen Ali, Sherbrooke Drive, Princeton Junction
Nguyenhuong Conghuyentonnu, Washington Road, Princeton
Susan Conlon, Harris Road, Princeton Junction
Mohsen A. Jafari, Saratoga Drive North, Princeton Junction
Hassan Syed, Cardinal Drive, West Windsor
Council’s Vote: Partisan Politics
It was my privilege to watch democracy in action Monday night when West Windsor Township Council voted in favor of a resolution decrying the Patriot Act. Or perhaps I should say the Democratic Party in action, because this was a blatant partisan political exercise.
I accused Council of pandering to a small, articulate, ad hoc “civil liberties’ group which pressured them to adopt the resolution. Every time a noisy group confronts this Council, they acquiesce, roll over, and say “scratch my tummy.”
None of the Council members had read the Act. Yet all, except Kristin Appelget, who abstained, voted for something they knew nothing about.
Council cited Democratic Party dominated Ewing, Lawrence, Mercer County, and the “Peoples Republic of” Princeton (Borough) as other entities which had adopted similar resolutions. Then they had the gall to deny that this was not partisan politics.
I told Council that they should be addressing important Township issues, not wasting taxpayer’s time and money on an issue which they lacked competency to address.
What’s next for Council? I suggest gay marriage, Roe v. Wade, or Social Security reform. They have the same qualifications to decide these issues as the Patriot Act.
We are supposed to have a non-partisan form of government. I suggest that Council represent the 22,”000 residents of our town, not just a small, vocal, partisan political group with which they are ideologically bound.
Jack Flood
1 Yeger Road, Princeton Junction
Commander, VFW Post 925
Former Mayor, West Windsor
Disturbing Action
On Monday, December 6, we attended the West Windsor Council meeting because we heard they were drafting a proposal to refute parts of the Patriot Act. During the public discourse, some people spoke in favor of it. We and another person made the point that this was not the responsibility of the council and there were other avenues the members could pursue to protest it. We also felt that this issue should have had a public forum, rather than be decided by a five people. Ultimately, it was passed with three in favor and one abstention.
One of the “draftees” of the proposal wasn’t even there to vote for it. But the comments afterwards were more disturbing to us. Miller and Alberts, who voted for it, admitted they never read the act. The council president said that he only read 60 pages, but didn’t like any of it.
More disturbing is the fact that Ms. Miller and Alberts felt that their roles as council members extended beyond local issues to include federal issues. Alberts made another astonishing remark: i.e. that people might be afraid to write to their representatives and that is was the council’s job to speak for them. Afraid to write their representatives!? Too busy, maybe. Uninvolved, perhaps, but I can’t believe they would be afraid.
There are enough issues important to West Windsor to keep our council very busy. Ms. Appleget said it very succinctly when she commented that her role in local government was to confine itself to local issues. If Miller and Alberts want to expand their roles in government, let them run for higher office.
Robert and Jane Cox, Princeton Junction
Support Our Troops At the Pump
Support the Troops ribbons are appearing on more and more vehicles and I’ve even seen them on Hummers and many other massive, gas guzzling SUVs. Drivers of these vehicles would better “support the troops” and our country by trading them in on fuel efficient cars so we could eventually reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
In order to address the problem of rapid depletion of the world’s oil reserves, I suggest multi-tiered pricing for gasoline. Drivers of Hummers pay $20 per gallon (after all, they also use more of the road than the rest of us.) At the other end of the scale, drivers of vehicles that get 20-25 mpg pay $5 per gallon (most Europeans pay more than this). Drivers of vehicles that get over 25 mpg pay $2.50 per gallon.
With this pricing I suspect we’d have many fewer trips made to the supermarket by people driving gas guzzlers and might eventually be able to eliminate our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
In the U.S. we use far more than our share of most of the world’s resources including oil. How long do we feel the rest of the world will tolerate this?
Ronald A. LeMahieu, Sequoia Court, West Windsor
Wireless Library
The Mercer County Library System is pleased to announce that the West Windsor branch is now equipped as a wireless Hot Spot for Internet access. The wireless Internet is free and is available throughout the building to anyone who has a wireless ready notebook computer or handheld device. Up to 24 patrons can use the service at the same time.
Mercer County Library would like to thank Comcast, which provides the connection to its high speed Internet service for free through its Cable in the Classroom program.
Kaija Greenberg, West Windsor Library
Santa Thanks
With respect to the cover photo of Santa at the West Windsor Lions pancake breakfast (The News, December 3), a thank you is definitely in order. You came through beyond my highest expectations. Happy Holidays to you all.
Paul Eland, West Windsor Lions
