Thursday, March 02, 2006

First Amendment, rant about USA PATRIOT ACT

OK, Leslie Burger inspired this rant (which has played in my mind several times over the past week). Leslie posted a link to the Chicago Sun-Times article which says that the American public knows more about the Simpsons than the First Amendment.

Now the rant. And Leslie gets partial credit along with a local resident. There is a movement afoot in Bridgeport to create a local arts council (I know, it is bizarre that we don't have one, but that is the way it is), and last night there was yet another meeting in the series to talk about it. This gentleman came up to me ahead of the meeting to talk about the USA PATRIOT Act and what was happening. And here is my rant:

I can't believe that the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has yet to issue its ruling in ACLU (CT) v. Gonzales. They heard the case back on November 2! When the case was heard in Bridgeport, Judge Janet Hall understood the urgency, and after hearing the case on August 31, she issued a ruling on September 9. Quickly!

Now, it has been FOUR months, and not a word.

I'm also very upset with Justice Ginsberg. ALA supported the ACLU which asked for an expedited hearing at the Supreme Court (to skip the 2nd Circuit). Ginsberg rejected the request as being premature because the 2nd Circuit had not heard it. She offered the opinion that they would deal with it expeditiously. They did not!!!

Now the Senate as voted with only ten senators standing for protecting our rights. I am appalled, because I know that the House will, yet again, rush to judgment.

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