Summer 2004 Home   Newsletters

Winter 2004

Spring 2005

President's Message (Sue Irvine)
League First (Mary Anne Raywid)
League Leaves HI-Clean
Citizen Rights Top Priority List (Jean Aoki)
West Hawaii Activities (Marni Herkes)
Judicial Independence Forum Praised (Jean Aoki, Jaurene Judy & Jackie Parnell)
HCALG Update (Grace Furukawa)
Lunch 'n' Learn the Law
What's Wrong with this Picture? (Carol Bain & Jaurene Judy)
Letter from the Editor (Shannon Wood)
Catchy Slogan for the Next Election Campaign

Citizen Rights Top Priority List

For all Leaguers in their different states and counties who helped pass resolutions in their own jurisdictions against portions of The Patriot Act which would erode the civil rights of our citizens, it will come as welcome news that a resolution was introduced and passed without a dissenting comment or a NO vote at the LWVUS 2004 Convention that makes civil liberties a top priority for National League.

Be it resolved that the LWVUS focus on the urgent need to defend civil liberties by making the League's positions on individual Liberties and Citizens Right to Know the highest priority for education and advocacy.

A letter to all Leagues from the Civil Liberties Ad Hoc Committee reads in part: "We were reminded at convention that the Preamble to the Constitution states: We the people of the United States .... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

It is WE as members of the League of Women Voters who can protect our liberties. It is WE as local and state Leagues who can ask candidates civil liberties questions for Voter Guides, hold public meetings about the threats to our civil liberties, educate the public about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, establish civil liberties committees and coordinators to facilitate the flow of information between Leagues, join the Liberty List, the caucus has established to communicate with others working on civil liberties, and get the help of others to move our local civil liberties agenda forward.

Today our Constitution is under attack. We must protect it and our Bill of Rights because they are the basic operating principles of our country. As David Cole, Georgetown Professor of Law, and Convention panel speaker said, "It is people speaking up in civic organizations that make the difference." Our goal is to stop infringements on our individual liberties and right to know. How about sharing your ideas on how we might best contribute toward the effort of protecting our civil liberties. Comments are welcome.

Jean Aoki

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