Subject: Fwd: Latest Drug War Casualty - Our rights Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 23:11:49 -0400 To: From: Bob Armstrong --- Original Message --- From: "DPAlliance" To: =A0 Sent: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 19:08:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Latest Drug War Casualty - Our rights >=A0Friends and Supporters: > >=A0The war on drugs is a grievous attack on our civil= liberties......and things are about to get worse. Yes, there= have been successes. We've pushed senators to debate the RAVE= Act on the floor, we've forced a medical marijuana vote in the= House and we've got more support than ever before. Nevertheless,= Congress and the Bush Administration are now conspiring against= the Bill Of Rights with new legislation that threatens our right= to assemble and erodes protections against search and seizure. > >=A0We have received reports that police are using the RAVE Act to= pressure promoters into canceling festivals and events.= Unbelievably, the first event targeted by the law was a= political fundraiser in Montana. Taxpayer dollars have already= been used on an expensive ad campaign calling marijuana users= terrorists. Now, in an even bigger grab for control, Senators= are working on a controversial bill that could punish nonviolent= drug offenders as terrorists. We can't afford any illusions. If= the war on terrorism is as unsuccessful as the failed war on= drugs, we're all in big trouble. > >=A0Read on for some important updates and actions you can take on= Rave Act II (including a September 6th protest in DC), a new= "drugs and terrorism" bill, Drug Czar John Walters secretive= tour around the country and the growing fight against U.S. Latin= American drug policy. > >=A0With these new challenges come new costs, and your financial= support is crucial in our fight to protect our rights, so please= visit our online donation page at:= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4472 . > >=A01) RAVE ACT II > >=A0In the fight to repeal the RAVE Act we have come up against= another piece of anti-rave legislation. If made into law, this= latest attack on our civil liberties would open more doors for= the prosecution of innocent business owners unable to stop drugs= coming into their venue. Thousands of our supporters have= already faxed their representatives about what we are calling= the RAVE Act II (officially known as the Ecstasy Awareness Act)= and groups across the country, like EM:DEF and ROAR, are= mobilizing voters against the bill. > >=A0If you haven't faxed your Representative about the Ecstasy= Awareness Act, please do so at:= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4336 > >=A0We also need you to fax your Representative about the CLEAN-UP= Act if you haven't already.= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4337 > >=A0For more on what you can do to stop threats to hip hop and= electronic music see:= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4338 > >=A02) SEPTEMBER 6TH PROTEST AGAINST THE RAVE ACT > >=A0Thousands will gather at the Capitol in Washington, DC on= September 6th for a musical protest against the RAVE Act and the= continuing assault on dance culture. The event, sponsored by= ROAR!: The National Dance and Music Rights Alliance, will= feature Junior Vasquez, D:Fuse, booths, prizes, and much, much= more. > >=A0Dance for your rights. U.S. Capitol, Washington DC. 1pm= onwards. =A0For more information on the protest including= directions see:= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4339 > >=A0Tour Buses are being arranged from numerous cities. Please= email info@roargroup.org for all general inquiries. > >=A03) NEW DRUGS AND TERROR ACT IN THE NAME OF 'VICTORY' > >=A0Two years ago, with the very real experience of terrorism in= our lives, Senators rushed to pass the PATRIOT Act. Essentially= a license for the government to spy on its own people, the Act= has become one of the biggest threats to our civil liberties.= Now, without urgency, Senators are about to make an even bigger= mistake. The misnamed Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist= Organizations Act of 2003, or the VICTORY Act (hang on.....that= should be a small r and where did the Y come from??), contains= numerous disturbing provisions including laws that could charge= non-violent drug offenders as terrorists. It has not even been= introduced yet and civil libertarians are commanding their= battle stations. Judging by the title of the Act the government= is more concerned about propaganda than dealing with real issues= of terrorism or drugs. This legislation will undermine the= country's struggle with terrorism by conflating it with the war= on drugs. This legislation will become the next battle ground= for civil rights in the U.S. > >=A0Stay tuned, as you can be sure the Drug Policy Alliance, with= your help, will be mounting a concerted and persistent campaign= against this act. =A0For more information on the VICTORY Act >=A0see: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4340 > >=A0(4) WHERE'S WALTERS? THE DRUG CZAR'S SECRETIVE TOUR > >=A0Marching to the beat of the Bush administration's drug war= drum, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy's= (ONDCP) Drug Czar John Walters is using tax-payer dollars to= preach harmful, punitive drug policies across the nation while= keeping the location of his appearances secret until the last= minute. What does this say about the democratic process and the= war on drugs? We've been asking supporters to contact both the= White House and the ONDCP to ask that they operate in line with= democratic transparency and release the dates and times of the= Walter's tour. > >=A0Call the White House: >=A0202-456-1414 >=A0president@whitehouse.gov > >=A0Call the ONDCP: >=A0202-395-6700 >=A0http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4341 > >=A0For more on the Drug Czar's tour:= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4342 > >=A0(5) COLOMBIA VOTE > >=A0Expanding its reigns beyond the borders, the Bush= Administration funds the aerial fumigation of coca crops in= Colombia. Damaging all crops, including food, and wreaking havoc= on environmental and political conditions in a country already= impoverished and plagued by civil strife aerial fumigation has= only moved coca growing deeper into the forests and to other= areas. The House of Representatives last month narrowly defeated= Democrats' efforts to boost funds to fight the global AIDS= epidemic by shifting money away from anti-drug efforts in= Colombia. The House voted 226-195 against redirecting the= money. > >=A0More on the vote here: >=A0http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4343 > >=A0To read more on U.S. politics and power in Latin America read= Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director, Ethan Nadelmann's= Foreign Policy article 'Addicted to Failure'.= =A0http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=3D16404&l=3D4344 > >=A0+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++= +++++++ >=A0You received this message because bob@cosy.com is a member of= the mailing list originating from= alerts@actioncenter.drugpolicy.org. > >=A0Please visit http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/unsubscribe to= unsubscribe from all lists. =A0Visit= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/managesubscription.asp to= learn about other lists you can subscribe to. > >=A0For problems, please contact Jeanette Irwin at= jirwin@drugpolicy.org. > >=A0Please consider joining the Drug Policy Alliance:= http://www.drugpolicy.org/join