”Challenging U.S. Human Rights Violations Since 9/11”
A. Basic Rights Of All Peoples Under U.S. Jurisdiction
All of the 184 Reports of human rights violations since 9/11 involve violations of rights and liberties under the U.S. Constitution Bill of Rights and Fourteenth Amendment; U.N Charter Article 55 and 56, and articles in the three human rights reporting treaties the U.S. ratified in 1992 and 1994: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT).
-by Ann Fagan Ginger
- Right Not To Be Killed Or Disappeared
- Right Not To Be Tortured
- Right Peaceably To Assemble And Petition The Government
- Right To Equal Protection Regardless Of Race Or National Origin
- Right To Equal Protection For Women
- Right To Free Exercise Of Religion
- Right Of The Media To Report Facts, And Not Be Killed
- Right To Privacy From Surveillance
- Right Of Libraries Not To Report On Readers
- Right Of Universities To Accept Foreign Scholars And Students
- Right To Travel
3. Right Peaceably To Assemble And Petition The Government
After 9/11 Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, et al., urged using the new Patriot Act to find and stop all “anti-government” comments everywhere. The FBI and Secret Service got busy teaching local police “new” methods of “crowd control”—wooden dowels, sting balls, concussion grenades, tear gas and huge “nets” to enclose groups of people for quick arrests. Also “Free Speech Zones” to prevent any real First Amendment “petition[ing] the government for a redress of grievances.”
Millions of men and women all across the U.S. disagreed about going to war and other Bush actions—U.S. citizens, veterans, long-time resident aliens, students, union members.
Some found dramatic forms of individual protest. Most joined massive peaceful demonstrations, recently at the Republican National Convention, where police arrested 1,800, detained them in unhealthy conditions, and only released them 24 hours after a court order.
Lawyers defended against the arrests. ACLU and others sued for an injunction against Free Speech Zones.
Oakland Police Use "Less Lethal" Rubber Bullets, "Sting Balls;" DA Drops Charges: Scott Fleming, et al.
(Ian Hoffman, Sean Holstege and Josh Richman "State Monitored War Protesters," Oakland Tribune, May 18, 2003, accessed August 5, 2004; Dana Hull, "Police Violence Shocks Activists, Others at Port Of Oakland Protest," San Jose Mercury News, April 7, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004; Daniel Borgstrom, "The Port of Oakland in the light of Miami," SF Indymedia, December 12, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004; Rachel Lederman, "Bay Area Sues Oakland Over Port Anti-war Demo Shootings," National Lawyers Guild Notes, Fall 2003, p.5; "A Glimpse Behind the Oakland Police Response to Antiwar Protest," The Dubya Report, April 16, 2003, accessed August 5, 2004; Jim Zamora, "Crowd Control Policy Changed by Oakland Cops," San Francisco Chronicle, December 12, 2003; Associated Press, "Oakland DA won't prosecute port protestors," U.S. Labor against the War, April 22, 2004, accessed August 7, 2004.)
New York Police and FBI Arrest Peaceful Protesters: Liv Dillon, et al.
(Liv Dillon, "The View From the Middle of the Road," AlterNet, May 19, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004; Will Potter, "Protest Torture of Animals; Get Arrested as a 'Terrorist': The New War on 'Terror,'" Counterpunch, May 31, 2004, accessed August 7, 2004.)
Secret Service Orders Arrests of Peaceful Protesters Against Bush: Brett Bursey, et al.
(Associated Press, "Congressmen Ask Ashcroft To Drop Bursey Prosecution," TheState.com, May 27, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004; Leslie Eaton, "Aftereffects: Questions of Security and Free Speech," New York Times, April 27, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004; Associated Press, "Bursey Denied Jury Trial," The State.com, June 9, 2003 accessed August 7, 2004; Jacob Jordan, "Trial For Bush Protester Delayed Because of Technicality," Associated Press, June 24, 2003, accessed July 8, 2004; Associated Press, "Judge in Bursey Case Says Some Secret Documents May be Disclosed," Wisconsin 10 TV, Sept. 19, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004; Laura Longhine, "Bursey Guilty; Gets $500 Fine," Free Times, January 7, 2004, accessed July 20, 2004; James Bovard, "Quarantining Dissent: How the Secret Service Protects Bush from Free Speech," San Francisco Chronicle, January 4, 2004, accessed July 20, 2004; ACORN v. City of Philadelphia, 2004 WL 1012693 [E.D.Pa.] May 6, 2004; Sara Mullen, Director, Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, email message to MCLI, August 9, 2004.)
Peaceful Protesters Defeat Lockheed "Restitution" Plan: Jennifer Hansen, et al.
(Sitara Kapoor and Henry Norr, National Lawyers Guild SF Bay Area Chapter NEWS, October-November 2003; Sitara Kapoor and Henry Norr, "Antiwar Demonstrators Win One over Merchant of Death: Protestors' Solidarity Forces Lockheed Martin to Drop Restitution Claim," accessed August 23, 2004.)
FBI Arrested Peaceful Palestinian Protester for Deportation: Amer Jubran
("SF Labor Council Resolution on Amer Jubran/Protest Nov. 6 in SF at 12 noon!," International Workers of the World, November 5, 2003, accessed August 5, 2004; "Outcome of Amer Jubran's final trial," Amer Jubran Defense Committee, November 24, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004.)
Miami Police Used Federal Money Against Peaceful Union Demonstration: AFL-CIO, et al.
("Democracy Now!" Pacifica Radio, Dec. 22, 2002, accessed July 8, 2004; "USWA Calls for Congressional Investigation into Police-State Assaults in Miami," United Steelworkers of America, November 24, 2003, accessed August 5, 2004.)
Police Pepper Sprayed Baby at Anti-War Protest: Donald Joughin, et al.
(Associated Press, "Portland, Ore., police use pepper spray on protestors at Bush events," Infoshop News, August 23, 2002, accessed June 24, 2004; Donald Joughin, "Letter from a Portland Protestor," World Socialist Web Site, August 29, 2002, accessed June 24, 2004.) (Phil Busse, "Police Pepper Sprayed My Baby," Portland Mercury, September 4, 2002, accessed June 24, 2004.)
Military Punished Soldier for Wife's Antiwar Protests: Jari Sheese
(Kerry Taylor, "Soldiers, Families Oppose Bush: Casualties Mount Post Saddam," War Times, February-March, 2004, accessed August 5, 2004; Recardo Gibson, "Vets for Peace on Veteran's Day," Free Speech Radio News, November 11, 2003, accessed July 20, 2004.)
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