Yesterday I visited with a few of my neighbors

shance

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Sat Aug-04-07 05:21 PM
Original message

Yesterday I visited with a few of my neighbors

Edited on Sat Aug-04-07 05:32 PM by shance

and made up some packets of information and articles regarding the issue of surveillance and recent stories of privacy violations and illegal seizures happening locally and nationwide, to average citizens exercising their free speech rights and in many cases simply going about their daily lives.

In short, it was a very productive and positive day.

I had an opportunity to get to know some of my neighbors better, taste two new terrific hot teas**, talk about lots of things from gardening and family stuff, trips they've taken and overall what's been going on in their lives. It is something that I could certainly be doing more of.

I think especially now, at a time that Washington seems totally blind, deaf and indifferent to our voices, we have to, as Howard Dean stated so prolifically, "take our power back".

I think it benefits us to realize where our true power is. It's in our neighborhoods. Our value as Americans and as individuals is where we directly live. Although we need to keep making our presence known to those in Washington by trying to build relationships there, its more meaningful (I think) and as well more realistic to build connections with those who live around us.

There is a lot happening in the neighborhoods that needs to be addressed.

It seems the Bush Administration has already been at work (probably since 2001) recruiting those who favor his policies and who are willing to "watch" other neighbors. In addition, in many areas, it is increasingly becoming apparent through growing issues like community based harassment, individuals are being recruited to monitor, and in some cases, harass and intimidate neighbors for a variety of baseless and unwarranted reasons. It is also probably no coincidence that many who have been harassed and "watched" have been good, patriotic citizens who happen to oppose the policies implemented by this Administration and as well by those approving the Administrations actions in Congress.

I thought I would share my 'cover letter' included in my information packet, so perhaps it might help those of you who want to take a more active role in building relationships with others in your neighborhood and feel more empowered and connected by taking such action.

Here tis:

Dear Neighbors,

I wanted to write you and include some information regarding some issues that now seem to be affecting many of us on a local level, as well as nationally in scope.

Regardless of what political affiliation you may or may not have, the reality is we are experiencing on the national, state and local levels some increasingly significant restrictions involving our most precious rights as citizens.

As you will read from the enclosed information and you may already be aware, that the Bush Administration along with the help of Homeland Security and other agencies, are utilizing our tax dollars to essentially violate and eliminate Constitutional rights, privacy laws and our civil liberties in the name of “national security” and the “war on terror”.

Many of us have found the utilization and justification of such reasoning like “national security” and the “war on terror” have become rationalizations which are now being used in ways which exploit us all as individuals and enable potential abuses of power, and thus leave citizens vulnerable to violations that otherwise would not be tolerated.

The growing restrictions on free speech and invasions on all areas of our personal, financial, private and familial lives affects all of us as American citizens, not simply those of us who may be opposed to the actions of the present Administration.

We are all subject to such invasions now, through the passage of legislation like the Patriot Act, which allows essentially violations of all of our rights and our property, as citizens.

In short it is not right and that is why I am writing today.

For the past few years many of us in the activist community, as well as those who are non-political, who have simply confronted issues of corruption and/or wrongdoings on a local and federal level, have experienced acts of harassment and intimidation, and now concluded it is an issue that necessitates involvement and participation by all citizens and neighbors on a local level as well as state and federal.

When any person is subjected to harassment, abuse and/or violations of their most basic rights, then we all become a potential target of such actions.

I hope you will take the time to look over the enclosed information and consider taking a more active part in protecting those rights which are being actively targeted and potentially eliminated in the name of ironically enough “security”.

None of us are secure when our rights as citizens become null and void.

Most sincerely,

XXXXX

P.S. I am planning to address this issue at the next Neighborhood Watch/Community Council meeting and I hope you will attend as well. There are also some of us planning to host a meeting in the near future in order to meet more neighbors, and as well to discuss various issues happening here in the neighborhood and and in Washington, and how it affects us and how we can better protect and support one another as a community and promote more active participation on a local level.