passed unanimously by the Sebastopol (CA) City Council
Resolution No. 5294, Declaring December 15, 2002, to be Bill of Rights Day in the City of Sebastopol
Whereas, the City of Sebastopol fully supports the United States Constitution and its first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, as being essential to the health of democracy, and
Whereas, the fundamental rights and liberties guaranteed therein are essential to the well-being of the citizens and community of Sebastopol. and
Whereas, several acts and orders recently enacted at the Federal level, including sections of the USA PATRIOT Act and several Executive Orders, now threaten these fundamental rights and liberties:
Freedom of speech, religion, assembly and privacy;
The rights to counsel and due process in judicial proceedings; and·
Protection from unreasonable searches and seizures;
All guaranteed by the Constitution of the State of California, and the United States Constitution and its Bill of Rights;
Therefore, City Council of Sebastopol, California, acting in the spirit of our community, does hereby declare December 15, 2002 to be Bill of Rights Day in the City of Sebastopol and requests that:
1. Local law enforcement continue to preserve residents' freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and privacy; rights to counsel and due process in judicial proceedings; and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures even if requested or authorized to infringe upon these rights by federal law enforcement acting under new powers granted by the USA PATRIOT Act or orders of the Executive Branch;
2. Federal and state law enforcement officials acting within the City work in accordance with the policies of the Sebastopol Police Department, and in cooperation with the Department, by not engaging in or permitting detentions without charges or racial profiling in law enforcement;
3. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation regularly and publicly disclose the extent to and manner in which they have acted under the USA PATRIOT Act, new Executive Orders, or COINTELPRO-type regulations, including disclosing the names of any detainees held in Northern California or any Sebastopol residents detained elsewhere;
4. Our United States Congressman and Senators monitor the implementation of the Act and Orders cited herein and actively work for the repeal of the parts of that Act and those Orders that violate fundamental rights and liberties as stated in the Constitutions of the State of California and the United States.