Objective:
Our objectives are
to get the Peace and Civil Liberties resolution on the agenda of Las Cruces
City Council and demonstrate the extent of support for the resolution.
On July 28, 2003, PeaceAware after several sessions in the
Mayor's Office, left crest fallen, disappointed that the 400 additional signatures
to petitions was not enough to get Mayor Mattiace to put the Civil Liberties
Resolution on the City agenda. The 400 signors to the above petition were denied
any voice at all in city governance. The Mayor has copies of our petition and
our signatures. The Mayor and City Council are aware of the 133 additional Internet
signors to the Civil Liberties petition http://peaceaware.com/documents/proposed_las_cruces_resolution.htm
On 17 Mar 42 citizens of Las Cruces spoke before the City Council l Meeting to get our Peace & Civil Liberties Resolution on the Agenda (City Hall 200 N. Church Street) in the. "PUBLIC PRESENTATION section" of the meeting. 20 spoke at 1Pm and 22 more at 4:30 PM.
During that session, our current MAYOR - William "Bill" Mattiace billm@las-cruces.org said "I support what you are doing. If I am elected Mayor, I will call for a special Town Hall meeting on this resolution." After the election, on NPR, Mayor Mattiace said in response to the reporter's question, "The PeaceAware movement has been in front of City Council twice with a Peace And Civil Liberties Resolutions, are you going to put it on the agenda?" Mayor-elect Mattiace replied, "Now is time focus on our troops." We urge you to contact Mayor Bill Mattiace and ask him to honor his promise made in open session of the 17March meeting. billm@las-cruces.org
We have taken the first steps. We have collected over 120 signatures on our resolution.
"We the undersigned petition the Mayor of the City of Las Cruces to place the Peace And Civil Liberties Resolutions onto the City Council agenda." Thank you. Contact person: Dr. David Boje PeaceAware co-organizer 532-1693
MORE HISTORY
On March 3rd, 8 people spoke in the PUBLIC PRESENTATION section of the Las Cruces City Council meeting. Members of the City Council were handed a copy of the Las Cruces Peace & Civil Liberties Resolution with 105 signors. They know we exist. The Mayor Pro-tem of the City Council, after hearing our pleas, decided that he did not want to include the resolution on the March 17 agenda. We are however, allowed to speak at the PUBLIC PRESENTATION sections of the meeting. We are removing two articles from the resolution that one council person said was the only obstacle to signing the resolution.
2.WHEREAS, the Bush Administration is waging a propaganda campaign against the regime of Saddam Hussein to justify war by the United States against Iraq; and8. 8.
WHEREAS, a United States war against Iraq would significantly increase oil prices and boost corporate profits while detrimentally affecting the world economy; and
Both items have been removed at the request of one of the City Council members.
Please attend the Next City Council Meeting (17
Mar) - All you need to do is say "put this
resolution on the agenda." If you cannot attend, then please send an
email to your Council Person that says "I support the Las Cruces Peace
& Civil Liberties Resolution." Once 100 people speak, what City
Council in their right mind would not put the resolution on the agenda for a
hearing as a regular business item?
We ask PeaceAware members who know the following members to contact them and let
them know why you think Talk to them in person. Tell them the Peace and Civil Liberties Resolutions is a good thing to
put on the City's agenda. If you do not meet them in your daily life, then send
them an email:
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Talking Points for your email and your talk:
We believe
that this resolution is necessary because the Bush administration has exceeded
its constitutional mandate in two areas:
1. The
authority to make war. It is
vested by the Constitution solely in the Congress.
The Constitution does not allow the Congress to cede that authority to
the chief executive. In fact, the very opposite was the clear intent of the
framers, who represented colonists who had fled societies where kings,
emperors, sultans, despots or dictators had the sole right to take their
hapless minions into the horror of war. Madison,
Jefferson, Franklin and their colleagues in Philadelphia were determined that
no individual should ever have the power, in this new republic,
to make war on his own whim or judgment. Absent a Declaration of War on
Iraq by the Congress of the United States, after full, fair and free debate,
sincere, patriotic citizens of the United States have an obligation to oppose
and resist any military operations against Iraq.
2. Changes
to the Constitution. The Constitution is equally clear on the matter of
amending, or rescinding amendments to, the Constitution.
The separate states of the union must give assent, and the assent can
only be given by vote of the people. Congress
alone cannot rescind the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of
Rights, no matter how many so-called Patriot Acts it passes.
Such "acts" are truly "grandstanding," dear editor,
for in constitutional law they have no validity.
The Bill of Rights can be rescinded only by "We the People,"
who did in fact "ordain and establish" the Constitution in the first
place. It is our Constitution,
dear Editor, and only we can change it and if Congress and the President and
his Attorney General violate it, it is our duty as citizens to oppose them.
----------------------------------------------
Additional talking points
Begin or end with by "expressing my support for placing
the Peace and Civil Liberties Resolution on the agenda".
1. Does
the City Council support the Constitution of the United States? Then please
join the cities and counties who are opposing federal changes that undermine
the Constitution by placing the Peace and Civil Liberties Resolution on the
agenda.
2. Does
the City Council support the Bill of Rights of the United States? Then please
join the cities and counties who are opposing federal changes that undermine
our Bill of Rights by placing the Peace and Civil Liberties Resolution on the
agenda.
3. It is
worth noting that what brought to custody (at last) a significant suspect in
the 9/ll attacks was international cooperation based on good old-fashioned
police work. This resolution will help demonstrate our support for the work
that our local police and other security personnel are doing to protect us
from terrorism, while protecting the constitutional civil rights upon which
our great country is based.
4 The
administration expects the first six months of a war to cost at least 60-95
billion. That's $200 - $300 for every person, including children, in the US.
Nearly all independent analysts expect the total cost of a war to be much,
much higher. We need to pursue more peaceful options so that we can focus
these resources on local economic development.
5 This
council has repeatedly stressed the importance of cooperation in resolving
conflicts at the local level. We are asking for a resolution that promotes
cooperation at the international level.
6 I do not
want International students and faculty spied upon by NMSU campus police.
7 The
economic impact of a US-led War on Iraq, merely as a result of fewer federal
dollars making it into state budgets and subsequently our Las Cruces city
budget, is a major reason to oppose the idea of invading Iraq. We have a 396.1
military budget (six times higher than any nation spends) plus the war will
cost another $200 billion in tax payer dollars. That is less money for jobs,
health, education, and homeless programs, and it is less money for Las Cruces
city budget.
8 Apart
from the economic part of the equation, the erosion of civil liberties, which
some Las Cruces residents have already experienced as a result of the US
Patriot Act and Homeland Security Act, will only worsen in a war-time
environment. Just ask the citizens who are being asked to sign away access to
their dental records, the library people who are turning over records over our
check out, etc.
9 An
attack by the US against Iraq will result in more killing and destruction
against the civilian popluation of Iraq.
10 I don't
understand why, as an American citizen, my dental records, my library book
check out or my video check out records should have to be turned over to
Homeland Security.
11-16:
Recent actions and proposed actions by the administration have contradicted
the ___ amendment which states that ______. This resolution is necessary to
express the support of the City Council for the US constitution.
11
First Amendment - no law be made "respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or
of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances;"
12
Fourth Amendment - "the right of the people to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall
not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported
by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched,
and the persons or things to be seized;"
13
Fifth Amendment - no person "shall be compelled in any criminal case to be
a witness against himself;"
14
Sixth Amendment - guarantees defendants "the right to a speedy and public
trial, by an impartial jury, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the
accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of
counsel for his defense;"
15
Eighth Amendment - "excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive
fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted;"
16
Fourteenth Amendment - prohibits the government from denying "to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws;"
17. OPPOSITION TO WAR IS BROAD. Across the ideological spectrum, experts and ordinary folks agree that now is not the time for war on Iraq.
18. THE INSPECTIONS PROCESS IS WORKING. The UN team’s mission is to seek out and destroy any weapons of mass destruction that Iraq possesses. Inspections are the best route to a disarmed Iraq President Bush needs to let them work.
19. THE CONSEQUENCES OF WAR COULD BE DIRE. A Yale economist estimated the total cost of war to be up to $1.6 TRILLION dollars. The UN estimates that up to 500,000 Iraqis could be killed or require serious medical help. Many security experts believe that a war could result in far-reaching regional instability. For all these reasons and more, it’s critical that war truly be a last resort.
20. THERE ARE STILL MANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE UNANSWERED. As the military continues its buildup in the Middle East, important questions about this war remain unresolved. What will happen to Iraq after the war is over? Will an Iraq governed by a U.S. general incite regional violence? Who will pay for Iraq’s recovery? What allies will we lose if we unilaterally attack Iraq?
21. AMERICANS DON’T SUPPORT A UNILATERAL, PRE-EMPTIVE WAR AGAINST IRAQ. Again and again, polls have shown that support for war is very shallow. When Americans are asked if they support going it alone on Iraq, a large majority oppose military action. Americans also oppose war if it would result in significant Iraq civilian casualties, or in significant loss of life by U.S. soldiers. At its most basic, this is a failure of representative government: Americans do not want Bush’s Iraq war.
22. The real power of terrorists is not the
number of people they
22. A pre-emptive war on Iraq is illegal under international law.
23. The citizens of Las Cruces are willing to do the difficult work of maintaining a free and democratic society while fighting terrorism.
24. Not one of the 9-11 hijackers was from Iraq. There is no evidence of any link between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein.
25. We believe the Bush administration is enacting policies that are making us less safe from terrorism, while destroying the very values it claims to defend. We want the City Council to act in the best interests of the citizens of Las Cruces and uphold the Constitution and the Bill or Rights.
26. Half the population of Iraq is under 18 years of age. Baghdad is a city of 5 million people. We are concerned about the huge humanitarian catastrophe that will result from a war. The people of Iraq have already suffered for 12 years under sanctions, enduring high rates of disease, malnutrition, poverty and preventable death. It is morally reprehensible to subject Iraq to more death and destruction.
27. It is appropriate and necessary for this Council to engage in a serious discussion about fundamental issues affecting our lives and liberties. When our rights are seriously threatened or taken away, we expect our elected leaders to take action.
28. The New Mexico House of Representatives has passed a joint memorial affirming civil rights and liberties in New Mexico. The Las Cruces City Council should do the same.
29. We want history to show that Las Cruces affirmed democratic ideals during this time of upheaval and uncertainty.
March 6 8:45 AM
Jim,
The council member's name is Bill Mattiace. And we will contact the Council Members directly. The revised version of the Petition is at
http//www.zianet.com/boje/peace/documents/proposed_las_cruces_resolution.htm
The 110 signors of the Resolution are very concerned that what is happening in other parts of the country will begin to happen in Las Cruces,
For example a man who wore a T-shirt in a New York shopping mall, that read, 'Give Peace a Chance" was arrested. He says, "I was in the food court with my son when I was confronted by two security guards and ordered to either take off the T-shirt or leave the mall," said Downs. When Downs refused the security officers' orders, police from the town of Guilderland were called and he was arrested and taken away in handcuffs..." Full story at
http//story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030305/ts_nm/iraq_usa_shirt_dc&cid=564&ncid=1473
In Las Cruces, libraries and video stores are asked to turn over records of check outs to Homeland Security without notifying the customer. At the dentist, we are signing over our x-ray files to Homeland Security. Clearly the 90 counties and cities resisting such action are trying to reclaim our lost civil liberties.
Please look at the cities who have passed the resolution and the ones underway at
http//www.ips-dc.org/citiesforpeace/resolutions.htm In New Mexico, Santa Fe is passed' Taos and Las Cruces are underway. The resolution has passed in cities such as Milwaukee, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Cleveland, Austin, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. Las Cruces would not be alone.
We are asking the City Council to join the 90 cities and counties who are giving citizens assurances that their Civil Rights and Constitutional rights are going to be protected.
I would appreciate your sharing this input with the Councilpersons. We will be their March 17th to renew our request.
Thanks again for the update.
David Boje
PeaceAware.com
At 1055 AM 3/5/2003 -0700, you wrote
I have no idea which member of Council is willing to consider the Resolution(s) with those changes. My direction as I understood it was not to bring back any resolutions on these topics. Therefore, I think you and/or members of your group need to contact Councillors directly to determine what (if any) changes would meet their requirements for consideration.
-----Original Message
March 5 9AM
Jim
Thank you for your follow up and call. We are excited to have had the opportunity in PUBLIC PRESENTATION time to begin the dialog with City Council about the Peace and Civil Liberties resolution. One council person came forward and spoke with us after the meeting. He asked that we remove two problematic articles (#2 & #8) from the Resolution. We have met that request. Please ask if any council members have any additional objections.
We will be back on March 17th in the PUBLIC PRESENTATION times. I will be requesting an additional 7 minutes (total 10) for my time (I will fill out the form for this request). We will be renewing our request that the Mayor pro-tem and/or 4 City Councillors agree to put us on the agenda of a City Council meeting.
Again, we appreciate the opportunity to voice our concerns to our elected officials. We believe the dialog has now begun. We are open to changes and suggestions.
Thank you for your help.
David Boje, Ph.D.
Jim Ericson, City Manager (March 4, 2003)
March 2 203
Jim
What you say is what I understand. On Monday [march 3rd 1PM or 4:30 P] individuals may speak (at beginning or at end of meeting) to putting Resolution on the agenda for a subsequent meeting, such as March 17. We would like to get it on sooner, if possible.
Thanks
david boje
3 Mar MONDAY URGENT-
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Take 10 minutes and express your VOICE - 1PM or
4:30 PM- Attend the City Council Meeting to get our Peace & Civil
Liberties Resolution on the Agenda - City
Hall 200 N. Church Street.
"PUBLIC PRESENTATION section" of the meeting will happen before &
after regular business. RSVP dboje@nmsu.edu if you can attend. The more people
the better.
Read more correspondence the Resolution