The Supreme Court was asked Monday to let libraries speak out about FBI demands for their records in a case involving the Patriot Act anti-terrorism law.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the emergency appeal, on behalf of an anonymous client, but the paperwork is censored and gives few details [emphasis added].
The ACLU has argued that a gag order prevents its client, apparently librarians in Connecticut, from participating in a debate over whether Congress should reauthorize the Patriot Act.
A federal judge said that the gag order had “the practical effect of silencing individuals with a constitutionally protected interest in speech and whose voices are particularly important in an ongoing national debate about the intrusion of governmental authority into individual lives.”
You’re not allowed to report on censorship. How’s that for a Catch-22?
Federal prosecutors have maintained that secrecy about records demands is necessary to keep from alerting suspects and jeopardizing terrorism investigations. They contend the gag order prevents only the release of the client’s identity.
“It’s really ridiculous,” said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “I’m just waiting for the first search of a newsroom to come down and for someone to say, `You can’t report we just searched you.”‘
Did the framers of the Constitution ever think we would come to a point where it was illegal to tell anyone you’ve been hassled by the government?
Georgia now has early snow days, if that makes any sense at all, to conserve fuel. Save money now with Catch-22 climate control. Close down your schools, churches and businesses and you won’t need to heat or cool them. Join the new USSA Energy Alliance for Idiots. Maybe this will become a new national energy saving program. We could save billions if we just stopped heating and cooling all those libraries. Sounds like something to consider. Those librarians are trouble Mr. President. Order the libraries closed, this is a national emergency.
Coming soon, Burning Books for America Week. Throw another novel on the fire. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Governor Perdue asked all state school systems to take two “early snow days” on Monday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 27. By taking two early snow days, school systems will save more than 225,000 gallons of diesel fuel per day. Four consecutive days of school building closures, from Saturday to Tuesday, will allow further heating and cooling energy conservation.
The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) is monitoring gas supply and helping to provide supply to law enforcement, emergency health services and schools .
http://www.gov.state.ga.us/press/2005/press933.shtml
225,000 gallons of fuel? That is just a little more then what Air Force One uses on each trip to New Orleans or Crawford Texas. Do we need more Snow Days, or fewer flights to Louisiana and Texas.
“Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
i would say the constitution supersedes any bullshit acts they can come up with.
Constitution? What Constitution??? they’re slowly ripping out sections of the Constitution, as they get “inconvenient”. 🙁
doesnt that require a referendum?