NORTHAMPTON, MA – May 2 – On Thursday evening, Northampton City Council voted unanimously in favor of a Resolution to Defend the Bill of Rights. The resolution addresses concerns that the USA PATRIOT Act and several Executive Orders threaten key rights guaranteed to U.S. citizens and non-citizens by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution and the Massachusetts Constitution, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and privacy; the right to counsel and due process in judicial proceedings; and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. . . .
The Northampton City Council’s vote follows the passage of similar resolutions in the nearby towns of Amherst and Leverett the previous week. The City Councils of Ann Arbor and Berkeley passed civil liberties resolutions in January. Denver City Council passed a resolution in March. Cambridge City Council will consider a similar resolution within the next few months.
Source: BORDC Press Release Archives (Item 1) May 2, 2002. Third Massachusetts town votes to defend Bill of Rights from threats of USA PATRIOT Act. Contact: Nancy Talanian, Director, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Northampton, Massachusetts
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