Civil Liberties Resolution Passes By City Council

Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously Monday to pass the pro-civil liberties resolution drafted in part by the Pittsburgh Bill of Rights Defense Campaign, capping nearly a year-long lobbying effort by the coalition of 30 community groups. The non-binding resolution affirms that Pittsburgh will uphold the rights of its residents against the sections of the USA PATRIOT Act that infringe on First Amendment freedoms, due process and privacy protections. Pittsburgh joins 7 other Pennsylvania municipalities, including Philadelphia and Wilkinsburg, and nearly 300 communities across the nation in adopting such a resoultion.

Allison Smith, chair of the PBORDC said, "Today, a statement has been made loud and clear -civil liberties are not for sale. The Constitution is alive and well, and will not be compromised for the sake of a false security."

Many of the provisions in the PATRIOT Act are set to expire next year, pending renewal from Congress. However, politicians on both sides of the aisle have been critical of the Act and its proposed uses. Bipartisan bills such as the Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act of 2003 (S.1709) would amend the PATRIOT Act to cut its alleged Fourth Amendment encroachments. Council’s resolution and others like it across the nation reinforce the voters’ consensus that the PATRIOT Act has got to go.

The resolution, supported by nearly 800 petition-signers, was originally proposed last summer by PBORDC. The coalition includes the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the ACLU, the Pittsburgh NAACP, the American Muslim Council, the Thomas Merton Center, and many others.

The resolution requests that Pittsburgh police refrain from participating in unlawful and illegal searches, engaging in racial profiling and enforcing immigration laws that are the responsibility of the federal government. In addition, it calls for Pittsburghers to be informed when their library records, business transactions, and other personal records are monitored.

Council members Bill Peduto, Twanda Carlisle, Doug Shields and Sala Udin were instrumental in passing the resolution.

Council member James Motznik had introduced a second resolution that was intended to compete with or replace the strong language of the PBORDC resolution.

"We were afraid that council might pass the weaker resolution," said Pooja Bhatt, organizer with the PBORDC.

Council members Motznik and Shields devised to couple the two resolutions, and both pro-civil liberties motions were approved with a joint vote.

- Matt Novak

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PBORDC plans to continue the work in other areas around Pittsburgh. If there are any folks out there who want to make it happen, PBORDC can help! One member of the group is especially looking for fellow residents of Edgewood, who want to get the ball rolling there.

Contact: info@pbordc.org or deangerber1@cs.com