Brown Equals Terrorist

Boston homeland security plan relies on watch groups

"In Boston police's new antiterror strategy, some of the frontline recruits will be neighborhood watch groups.

Police Commissioner Kathleen M. O'Toole is planning to spend federal homeland security money to help watch groups spot possible terrorists -- an initiative designed at the same time to rebuild the city's once nationally recognized community policing program."

Boston homeland security plan relies on watch groups

Senate Intelligence Committee Examines Controversial Patriot Act Expansion Bill; Closed Door Vote to Be Held This Week

"WASHINGTON - The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence met today to consider legislation that would reauthorize - and expand - the Patriot Act. The American Civil Liberties Union denounced attempts to expand, rather than critically review and reform, the controversial provisions set to expire at the end of the year. A proposal to make the law’s most controversial provisions permanent, and to expand it by allowing FBI agents issue their own search orders with no advance court approval, will likely be voted on in secret Thursday.

'Now is the time to bring the Patriot Act in line with the Constitution - not expand it,' said Lisa Graves, ACLU Senior Counsel for Legislative Strategy. 'Concerned citizens from across the political spectrum have spoken out against the Patriot Act’s secrecy: many provisions are implemented secretly, and the government has kept secret key information on how these extraordinary powers are being used. Now, some lawmakers are trying to keep debate and votes on legislation to reauthorize and expand the Patriot Act secret as well.' "

Senate Intelligence Committee Examines Controversial Patriot Act Expansion Bill; Closed Door Vote to Be Held This Week

FAQ: How Real ID will affect you

"What's all the fuss with the Real ID Act about?

President Bush is expected to sign an $82 billion military spending bill soon that will, in part, create electronically readable, federally approved ID cards for Americans. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the package--which includes the Real ID Act--on Thursday."

News.com: FAQ: How Real ID will affect you

Is profiling real? Let's take a count

"It's this simple: State Rep. Beth Harwell needs to get her head out of the sand. Where in the world has she been? Listening to the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly?

'I think it's unnecessary,' the Nashville Republican was quoted in this newspaper as saying Monday.'I don't think anyone has shown it's a problem. It's a waste of money and a waste of time for people we ask to do an awful lot already.' "

tennaseean.com: Is profiling real? Let's take a count

USA PATRIOT Act Rewards ChoicePoint

"Most Americans give their uncritical approval to renewing the USA PATRIOT Act, passed hastily by Congress in the aftermath of 9/11. Few realize that key provisions of the measure put every American's private personal data into the hands of the very bunglers so heartily vilified in recent months for selling, losing and misplacing hundreds of thousands of consumers' records. "

consumeraffairs.com USA PATRIOT Act Rewards ChoicePoint

Speaker's message to Davis: stand up to hate

"Hate crimes not only strike at the very identity of their victims, Seattle journalist David Neiwert contends, they terrorize those like the victim and tear at the fabric of a community.
Neiwert will present 'So What's a Hate Crime Anyway? - The ABCs of Hate Crimes' "

davisenterprise.com: Speaker's message to Davis: stand up to hate

Bias incidents against Muslims up in NJ

"Cases of discrimination and bias against Muslims in New Jersey rose sharply last year, according to a survey released Wednesday by a national Islamic group.

The survey by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations counted 69 incidents of discrimination or bias crimes committed against New Jersey Muslims in 2004, up from 40 incidents in 2003 - an increase of more than 72 percent."

phillyburbs.com: Bias incidents against Muslims up in NJ

Con: Should the Patriot Act be renewed?

"Congress is considering what to do with the law popularly known as the Patriot Act. Congress passed it in late 2001 after then-Attorney General John Ashcroft said that more Sept. 11-style attacks were likely, and that Congress would be responsible if it refused to enact the law the administration proposed.

The act allows the government to spy on anyone — to more easily inspect our bank records, our log of Internet communications, our book-borrowing from libraries."

News-Leader.com: Con: Should the Patriot Act be renewed?

Pro: Should the Patriot Act be renewed?

"Critics of the Patriot Act have distorted the truth to the point where an honest debate has become extremely difficult.

This is dangerous, for the act has saved countless lives and protected our national economy.

The legal tools it provides are backed up by a process requiring judicial review; they are the same tools authorities have used for decades in dealing with drug dealers and organized crime."

News-Leader.com: Pro: Should the Patriot Act be renewed?

Concord Police Acknowledge racial Profiling Occurred

"A nine-month investigation into complaints that Concord police racially targeted Latino drivers has concluded that some of the allegations were true, Concord police Chief Ron Ace reported today.

Two police officers were placed on administrative leave during the investigation, Ace said. The officer believed to be responsible for the profiling no longer works for the department, Ace said, and his supervisor has been "appropriately disciplined.'"

Bay City New Wire: Concord Police Acknowledge racial Profiling Occurred

Study Finds Racial Disparities In Miami-Dade Traffic Stops

"There is no evidence that Miami-Dade County police officers are stopping drivers because of their race, but among those pulled over blacks are more likely to be searched or interrogated, a study released Monday concludes."

nbc6.net: Study Finds Racial Disparities In Miami-Dade Traffic Stops

Hey, Homeland Security: Will ya just listen to this, please?

"NEW YORK – I'd like to share a personal experience that has ripple effects on our collective sense of "homeland security." As head of a global leadership consulting firm, I travel frequently in and out of the United States. As a green-card holder married to a American citizen, I'd never had any problems doing so. I grew up in New York, the son of a Pakistani consul general, attended Stanford University, lived here as an adult. Emotionally, the US has been my home for a long time.

Last October, returning to the US from Canada, I was pulled aside for "secondary inspection." I sighed but reconciled myself (after all, if it can happen to Ted Kennedy... ) to what I hoped would be a minor inconvenience."

The Christian Science Monitor: Hey, Homeland Security: Will ya just listen to this, please?

Black students coming together

"Black student leaders from across California are meeting at Laney College in Oakland this weekend in a bid to unify for political and social action.

Students from San Jose to Southern California gathered on the school's sun-drenched outdoor quad Friday to register for the opening day of the third annual Malcolm X Consciousness Conference."

SFGate.com: Black students coming together

Denny’s target of $28 million bias lawsuit

"Seven Arab-American men filed a $28 million lawsuit against a Denny’s restaurant in Florida, saying the manager kicked them out and told them, 'We don’t serve bin Ladens here,' their lawyer said on Thursday."

MSNBC: Denny’s target of $28 million bias lawsuit

Profiling or no, race still divides us

"Sometimes saying 'I'm sorry' isn't enough. University Police Chief Bruce Lewis' forthcoming written apology to a black Feinberg School of Medicine student for what the student described as a racially motivated incident falls into that category."

The Daily Northwestern: Profiling or no, race still divides us