For more information about the NDAA, go to: 

Defending Dissent: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5492/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1208065 

 ACLU:  http://www.aclu.org/indefinite-detention-endless-worldwide-war-and-2012-national-defense-authorization-act

 Bill of Rights Defense Committee:  http://constitutioncampaign.org/campaigns/dueprocess/

 Center for Constitutional Rights:  http://ccrjustice.org/files/NDAA_report_final.pdf

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JULY 4th, The NDAA, and YOU!

 Are We Celebrating Freedom, Democracy, Our Bill of Rights?

 Opinion Editorial by Hedi Saraf, July 3, 2012.  Hedi Saraf is a learning disability specialist and a member of the SF99% Coaliion, which is putting on two forums on the civil liberties impacts of the NDAA later this month.  

I’m up in the middle of the night, worried.  This is one of those times when images from the past came back vividly, insistently connecting to what is happening now in our country.

I was a university student at San Francisco State College and UCLA in the 1950′s at the height of the red scare.  Senator McCarthy and his Un-American Activities Committee had taken it upon themselves to “witch hunt” anyone suspected of “communist” association.  His manipulation of fear led to thousands of educators, union activists, those in Hollywood, on Broadway, and journalists being apprehended, questioned, accused, sometimes imprisoned with no credible evidence, on suspicion of disloyalty to  the United States government.  Many lives were ruined!  Anyone wishing to work at a public institution was required to sign a “loyalty oath” before being hired. I applied for a job on campus.  The loyalty oath was pushed in front of me when the interview ended, and I was offered a job in the library.  I stared at the oath–and after a few minutes’ thought, refused to sign.  I did not get the job. No loyalty oath, no job.

 There have been other times when the Bill of Rights was thrown under the bus.  During World War II all Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were rounded up and interred in “War Relocation Camps.”  They were deprived of their freedom–all of their civil rights.

It’s the middle of the night and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 is the intruder in my sleep.  This year, the NDAA, a bill that is renewed every year to fund the Defense Department, was signed into law by President Obama.  NDAA Sections 1021 and 1022 say:

 *      You can be labeled a “terrorist,” be arrested without charges and held without trial, merely on suspicion of association with terrorist groups.   This may happen without your knowledge of that suspected association

 *     You can be detained indefinitely by the armed forces even if you are a US citizen.

 *    You can be denied the right to legal representation and due process

 *    You could be sent to a foreign country, imprisoned, and/or tortured with no legal recourse   NDAA Sections 1021 and 1022 violate several of our Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution:  The 1st Amendment–the right to free speech and freedom of assembly, the 4th Amendment–the right to be secure in our homes, the 5th Amendment–the right to due process, and the 6th Amendment–the right to a speedy, public trial and access to legal counsel.

To the extent that we are silent and do not respond to this, we are allowing our Bill of Rights to be rendered meaningless words on a piece of paper.

The middle of the night worries continue until—-I voice my opposition to these portions of the NDAA.  Join me in that opposition.

NDAA update (May 23, 2012)  – The good news and the bad news;  what’s next; and what the SF 99% Coalition is doing in regard to the NDAA:

First the bad news:

 1)  House fails to amend NDAA to prohibit indefinite detention for people captured in theUS, butCalifornia’s Bay Area Democrats voted against indefinite detention and against the NDAA itself.

A bipartisan group of representatives worked together on an amendment to fix problematic provisions passed last year authorizing indefinite military detention. The amendment would have stated that people captured in the USwould not be subject to indefinite military detention. The amendment failed, 182-238. See the roll call here. (http://blog.peaceactionwest.org/2012/05/18/ndaa-grab-bag-the-highs-and-lows/)  

For the roll call on the House vote on the 2013 NDAA (with indefinite detention) go to:  http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/2/291.

2)  The good news: A US district court judge issued a preliminary injunction against what she called “unconstitutional” indefinite detention provisions in the NDAA.

A federal judge in New Yorkon Wednesday [May 16] ruled in favor of a group of civilian activists and journalists and struck down highly controversial ‘indefinite detention’ and ‘material support’ provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act

(http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/05/17)

3)  What’s next in Congress:  Today, Wednesday, May 23, the NDAA moves to the US Senate.  Senator Udall expected to come up with amendment against indefinite detention.  So for now, tell Senators Boxer and Feinstein:  No indefinite detention for anyone, citizen or non-citizen anywhere, but especially in our country!

Wednesday, May 23  

National Security/Detention: The Senate Armed Services Committee will begin its markup of the FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act and will continue the markup on May 24 and 25.

BORDC says we should look to Senator Udall for an amendment against indefinite detention and tell our US Senators to support him on that.

 4)  What we’re doing locally about NDAA in the next few weeks:  Working on a proposed joint effort with Occupy SF for an NDAA forum for activists;  leafletting against the NDAA at the SF Mime Troupe on July 4 (and possibly beyond);  planning an NDAA forum for the public on July 29;  finding and using Youtube and films for public education on the NDAA;  continuing our effort to pass a resolution against the NDAA at the SF Board of Supervisors;  a project in process promoting Civil Liberties Sermons at churches and synagogues on the weekend before the July 4 Independence Day holiday;  and continuing to push Congress to eliminate indefinite detention from the 2013 NDAA.

 Please join us to contribute your ideas, and organizing energy! 

The SF 99% Coalition joined in the two day protest at the Wells Fargo Headquarters in anticipation of their stockholders’ meeting on April 23 and 24, which was interrupted by citizens who want Wells Fargo to change its harmful financial policies. Karla and Melvin hold their signs at the Wells Fargo Main Office. Thanks to Occupy SF and many groups, this demonstration was well organized and effective.

A photo slide show of the event is here.