Village of New Paltz Resolution

Document Date: February 27, 2003

911 PEOPLE AGAINST RACISM

RESOLUTION

Whereas New Paltz, and the surrounding communities have demonstrated their commitment to protecting the rights of all our citizens; and

Whereas New Paltz, and the surrounding communities house a diverse student and working population, including non-citizens, whose contributions to the community are vital to its character and function; and

Whereas New Paltz, and the surrounding communities are motivated by the commitment to uphold the human rights of all persons in our communities and the free exercise and enjoyment of any and all rights and privileges secured by our constitutions and laws of the United States, the State of New York, and the Village of New Paltz passed a resolution in 2001 supporting the rights and safety of Arabs, Muslims and People of Color; and the town of Gardiner passed a resolution in 2001 supporting the unprejudiced treatment of all peoples

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 NY, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights;

Therefore, we the people of Ulster County, Village of New Paltz acting in the spirit and history of our community, do hereby request that:

  1. Local law enforcement continue to preserve freedoms 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 of authorized persons 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 Village of New Paltz not engage in, or permit racial profiling or detention without charges in law enforcement
  3. The U.S. Attorney's Office, the Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Police report to the New Paltz Village Mayor and the Ulster County Human Rights Commission regularly and publicly 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 regardless of where that might be.
  4. Our United States Congressmen and Senators monitor the implementation of the Act and Orders cited herein and actively work for the repeal of the parts of the Act and those Orders that violate fundamental rights and liberties as stated in the Constitutions of the State and the United States.

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