THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Recently our LWVC president, Barbara Inatsugu, sent me a copy of a letter she addressed to LWVUS President Kay Maxwell. The subject was the USA Patriot Act and its offspring, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act. She said, "the former has already been enacted into law; proposed language of the latter was revealed only within the last few weeks. They both now hang over our heads and, like the domestic threat to democracy that we experienced in the 1950's, we believe they threaten our civil liberties and constitutional guarantees far beyond what is needed to guarantee recognized, legitimate safety and security needs."
Barbara recalled how the League, in the face of McCarthyism, created a program called the "Freedom Agenda" in defense of civil liberties. The League followed this with a study on the federal loyalty/security programs, culminating in a position that emphasized protection of individual rights. She summarized the LWVUS positions which support individual liberties, including the 1982 Statement of Position on Individual Liberties, as announced by the National Board: "the LWVUS 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."
President Inatsugu further stated that there are compelling reasons for LWVUS to take action on our positions. "The LWVC believes that we must speak out and requests that you and your board reconsider our national priorities and add Civil Liberties as one of the long-term issues to be tracked and responded to as the timing and opportunity present.
My reaction to Barbara's letter was one of strong support and appreciation. Our LWVUS President Kay Maxwell declined to act on Barbara's suggestion, citing the fact that civil liberties was not adopted at Convention as a priority. However, today's mail brought an update from Barbara that civil liberties has been added to the list of LWVUS priorities as a result of our advocacy. I am writing this message immediately after our April General Meeting titled "Homeland Security Vs. Civil Rights: Can we be Safe and Free?" I want to thank Jeanne Melaugh for organizing such a timely presentation for our League. It is up to the grassroots organizations such as the ACLU and the League to keep this issue in the forefront of our concerns. If not us, then who will do so? If not now, then when?
I would like to conclude with one more quotation on civil liberties:
"They that can give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (Benjamin Franklin, 1759)
--Beverly G. Bean, President
