American Civil Liberties Union – 2005-01-21 00:01:17

http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech

Refuse to Surrender Your Rights

On January 20, the President takes the presidential oath of office, “to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

But here at the ACLU, we are concerned that his actions will continue to belie that noble oath. Through their actions, President Bush and his Administration have made it clear that they want us to surrender our freedoms.

As we start a new session of Congress, it is critical that we each contact our Senators and Representative and urge them to stand up and defend fairness, equality and freedom.

• In America, we do not believe in government-funded religion or in having organized religion dictate government decisions.

• In America, we do not discriminate against people because of the color of their skin, where they were born, or their religion, or their choice of a life partner.

• We believe America is more than a piece of land with people living on it. America is an idea that lights the world with its values of freedom and fairness.

Every Member of Congress has taken a pledge to defend the Constitution and now must vote to ensure our laws are in line with our founding principles.

They need to fix the PATRIOT Act and remove those unnecessary police powers that trample on our fundamental freedoms. They need to oppose legislation, such as the federal marriage amendment, which would discriminate against people because of who they love.

Right now, as the world watches, America’s flame is flickering. If we remain silent, America’s light – its true values – could die out.

Take Action!
Urge your Members of Congress to speak out in support of those freedoms that make America great.

Help the ACLU hold the President accountable to his pledge to protect and defend the Constitution by telling your Senators and Representative:
“I refuse to surrender my freedom.”

Tell them that you won’t surrender your freedom … and tolerate more and more government intrusion into our bedrooms, our churches and our doctors’ offices, to interfere in who we love, how and if we pray and what kind of families we chose to create … allow FBI investigations provoked by nothing more than exercising our freedom of speech … accept that government agents could secretly search the books we read, the credit card purchases we make and the Internet sites we visit or stand silently by while they justify the kind of torture of prisoners that has long been held abhorrent to our country.

Don’t let them write discrimination into the Constitution … undermine our basic right to privacy … oppose reproductive freedom … destroy the separation of church and state … and selectively apply the right to due process.

• You can urge your Senators and Representative to take the lead in opposing efforts to make the USA Patriot Act permanent. And you can urge them to oppose other affronts to freedom as well.

Click here to e-mail your Senators and Representative now!