Edgewood Patriot Act Town Meeting

Residents of Edgewood, as well as other eastern suburban communities and Regent Square, gathered on Wednesday night, October 13^th, to hear more about the USA Patriot Act. Approximately 40 people attended an informational meeting to hear about the Patriot Act and ask questions of panelists.

The program was organized by a group of Edgewood residents and a resident of neighboring Swissvale. Program organizers hoped to increase peoples' understanding of the Patriot Act and initiate discussion as to whether the community might want to pass a Patriot Act-related resolution, as have Pittsburgh and nearby Wilkinsburg.

Panelists presenting information and answering questions were Omar Slater of the ACLU, Saleh Waziruddin of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, and Denise Edwards of Wilkinsburg Borough Council.

Mr. Slater presented details of the Act: individuals can be labeled terrorists for belonging to activist groups; “sneak and peek” home searches can be done without warrants and without the knowledge of the resident; emails and visits to web sites can be monitored and by the FBI, and medical records and library usage are also fair game. Additionally, it is illegal for the person or provider who has been asked to provide information about you to inform you of this. In short, said Slater, there is no judicial review and no requirement of proof is necessary.

Denise Edwards, Wilkinsburg Council member, said that the Patriot Act did not provide any assistance (such as funding for training) that would enable first responders (police, fire, ambulance) to do a better job of responding to real threats, terrorist or otherwise, and suggested that resources might be better directed. Wilkinsburg's passage of a resolution regarding the Patriot Act sent a message that activities such as surveillance must go through local elected officials. Ms. Edwards encouraged attendees to talk up Patriot-Act related issues and consider taking action.

Saleh Wazirudden discussed cases of individuals that had come up locally and nationally, including that of Getu Berhanu Tewolde, who was arrested at a Greyhound bus stopover in Pittsburgh on suspicion of being a terrorist in 2002. Mr. Wazirudden noted wryly that Getu was not a Muslim but was actually a Christian.

Not all audience members agreed that the Patriot Act was problematic, and one individual disputed some of the claims made by panelists.

Edgewood Borough Council member Heidi McDonald attended to find out more about both the Patriot Act and the feelings of her constituents. Edgewood Police Chief Wood had been invited to attend and participate in the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, but was not at the meeting.

This meeting will be followed up by a meeting to discuss a possible resolution.

- Mary Hart, Pittsburgh Indymedia