Community Resolution for North Providence, RI

Town of North Providence
R04-001
Resolution of the Town Council

A Resolution declaring the Town Council of the Town of North Providence in affirmation of, belief in, and support for the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and for the rights guaranteed therein to citizens and others.

WHEREAS, The United States Constitution guarantees all persons living m the United States fundamental rights including freedom of religion, speech, assembly and privacy, protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, due process and equal protection, and access to council, presumption of innocence and a fair, speedy public trial; and

WHEREAS, A great crime against humanity occurred on September 11, 2001, resulting in new federal laws and enforcement powers, including the USA Patriot Act signed by President George W. Bush on October 26,2001; and

WHEREAS, The USA Patriot Act was written to respond to the attack on our nation, it weakens, contradicts, and undermines the basic constitutional rights outlined above. The Act, a 342 page
document, was enacted in six weeks without public hearings, or a Congressional “”mark up”; and

WHEREAS, Examples of the Patriot Act’s throat to these fundamental rights include the Government’s expanded power to: engage in limited judicial supervision of telephone and surveillance; grant law enforcement and intelligence agencies broad access to sensitive medical, mental health, financial, and educational records with little if any judicial oversight; expand the government’s ability to conduct secret searches of individual’s homes and businesses, including monitoring what books are bought from bookstores or borrowed from libraries; and limits the disclosure of public documents and records under the Freedom of Information Act, and

WHEREAS, certain recent acts of the Congress including the USA Patriot Act, in part, and the acts of certain officials of the federal government have openly or covertly contradicted the sovereign rights reserved by and for the citizens in both State and Federal Constitutions and other founding documents;

Now Therefore, be it resolved by the Town Council of the Town of North Providence that the Town of North Providence supports all lawful and constitutional effort, to prevent and investigate
terrorist or other criminal acts and to prosecute their perpetrators.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of North Providence supports the many other communities and over 120 cities throughout the country that have enacted resolutions reaffirming support for civil rights and civil liberties in the face of government policies that threaten these values, and are demanding accountability from federal agencies regarding the use of these powers,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Council of the Town of North Providence affirms that any efforts to end terrorism not be waged at the expense of the fundamental civil liberties of the people of North Providence, and all citizens of the United States; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Council of North Providence urges the town administration and its citizens during the course of their daily life to be guided by the collective responsibility and obligation of safeguarding the constitutional protections afforded all people of our town. The council recognizes that this is the paramount responsibility of local law enforcement personnel, appointed and elected government offices that are ultimately responsible for upholding the solemn oath they have taken to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the State of Rhode Island; and

FURTHER RESOLVES, that the North Providence Town Council calls on our United States Representatives and Senators to monitor he implementation of the Act an Executive orders cited herein including Patriot Act II and actively work for the repeal of the Act or those sections of the Act including Executive Orders that violate fundamental rights and liberties as stated in the United States Constitution and it’s Amendments.

ADOPTED: February 3.2004

ATTEST:

North Providence Town