Community Resolution for Buckland, MA

Article 28: To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following resolution, or take any action relative thereto:

Resolution Defending the Bill of Rights and Civil Liberties

The Town of Buckland has been and remains committed to the protection of civil rights and liberties that are written in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Whereas the rights and liberties of the residents, both citizens and non-citizens, of Buckland, protected by the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Constitution of the United States of America include:
 
Freedom of speech and assembly
The right to privacy
The right to counsel and due process in judicial proceedings
Protection from unreasonable searches and seizures
The right to be notified of charges against them

Whereas the Constitution's protections of Buckland residents are threatened under certain provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, and the Homeland Security Act, which authorize:
 
· Monitoring our telephone, internet and library use, video rentals, book purchases, banking and medical records and other activities without evidence of criminal behavior and without a court order
  Secretly detaining Buckland residents without bringing legal charges and denying their right to Counsel
· Spying on domestic organizations without evidence of wrongdoing, designating organizations as ""terrorist"" without evidence of intent to act against the United States of America, detaining and/or deporting Buckland residents who contribute to these organizations, even if they are unaware of the
""terrorist"" designation
· Conducting secret military tribunals without fundamental legal protections for the accused
· Secretly searching the homes of Buckland residents when they are absent

Therefore we the people of Buckland, Massachusetts, honoring those who have sacrificed their lives to protect these rights and liberties, do hereby request that local law enforcement continue to preserve and protect our freedom of speech, religion, assembly, privacy, right to Counsel, due process in judicial proceedings, and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

It is further resolved that all Buckland officials and employees are requested to provide the Buckland Board of Selectmen with:
· The names of any Buckland residents detained here or elsewhere for more than 48 hours as a result of terrorism investigations, the circumstances, the charges against them arid the names of Counsel for each detainee
· The number of search warrants that have been executed in Buckland without due notice to the subject and without legal justification for each warrant
· The extent of government electronic surveillance, monitoring of political, religious and other activities including telephone, internet and library use, video rentals, book purchases banking and medical records and other activities without evidence of criminal behavior

It is further resolved that we, the people of Buckland, urge our elected officials to encourage our United States Senators and Representatives to:

1. Monitor the implementation of the Acts and Orders cited herein
2. Actively work for the repeal of the parts of those acts and orders that violate our fundamental rights and liberties as stated in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts