[North-NV-Greens] Balancing Security & Individual Freedom: a Community Forum on the USA PATRIOT Act

[Bob Tregilus]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: 1/17/2005

FROM: American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada (ACLU)

CONTACTS: Bob Tregilus, 775/826-4514, lakeport104 at yahoo.com

SUBJECT: Balancing Security & Individual Freedom: a Community Forum on 
the USA PATRIOT Act

CARSON CITY, NV -- Portions of the USA PATRIOT Act will sunset later 
this year, however, the Bush Administration and the US Department of 
Justice are calling for the provisions in question to be made permanent.

What is the appropriate balance between liberty and security? Can we be 
too secure? As the checks and balances of court oversight and 
constitutional rights are lifted from law enforcement to facilitate the 
'War on Terror' what protections does the public enjoy against police 
abuse, from wrongful detention, and unjustified surveillance?
 
These are some of the questions that will be answered at the community 
forum this Tuesday, January 18, at the Brewery Arts Center Performance 
Hall in Carson City.
 
"Nevada is one of the most important states in the country to be 
organizing around civil liberties issues," said Matt Bowles, a National 
Field Organizer for the ACLU and the featured speaker for Tuesday 
night's forum, "primarily because it is the state that has been the most 
severely abused by the USA Patriot Act. The government has used its 
'anti-terrorism' powers to invade the privacy of hundreds of thousands 
of innocent residents and tourists."

The forum will feature the documentary film No Check, No Balance as well 
as speakers: Sara Jones, Administrator of the Nevada Library and 
Archives and Matt Bowles of the ACLU. An extensive question and answer 
period will follow the presentation.

"The USA PATRIOT Act and other post 9-11 policies affect every person, 
US citizen or not. What is at stake is nothing short of our Bill of 
Rights itself, and diverse political communities across the country are 
joining together to defend it. Everyone needs to come out and play their 
part," Bowles added.

WHAT:  Balancing Security & Individual Freedom: A Community Forum on the 
USA PATRIOT Act

WHEN:  Tuesday, January 18, 2004 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM

WHERE:  Brewery Arts Center Performance Hall
511 W King ST, Carson City, NV

ADMISSION: Free

ON THE WEB: http://www.ncdpa.org - http://www.ACLU.org - 
http://www.bordc.org

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