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City Council stands up for freedom

The Tampa City Council took a bold but symbolic step last night by going on the record against the USA PATRIOT act:

Wading into the debate over national security versus personal freedom, the Tampa City Council called on the federal government Thursday to change the USA Patriot Act.

The group Tampa: Safe And Free asked the council to join more than 200 government bodies nationwide in passing a resolution advocating the repeal or revision of the antiterrorism law passed after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The council voted 4-3 for a resolution seeking changes in the law, which allows everything from roving wiretaps of cellular phones to tracking the reading habits of public library and bookstore users.

``The Patriot Act sacrifices liberty,'' said Rochelle Reback, a lawyer leading the group supporting the resolution. ``These laws attack our freedom, not our enemies.''

Opponents of the council action objected to the nonpartisan board voting on an issue to be decided in Congress.

``Tampa fell off the left side [of] the Earth today. ... This is a partisan resolution,'' said former council candidate Gene Wells, one of about 100 people at the night meeting.

``How about a resolution to support our troops? We are at war,'' Wells said.

Note to Gene Wells: I’m sure you support our troops getting killed and maimed in Iraq on a daily basis, but that was not the issue here. I mean, how the fuck do you possibly equate a desire to strengthen everyone’s rights with somehow being “against” our troops? And how is asking the Feds not to mess with our civil liberties a partisan issue? If you have any real concern for our troops, you would be sponsoring a resolution to call on our government to bring them home from their dangerous imperialistic mission.

Council Chairwoman Gwen Miller joined colleagues Mary Alvarez, Linda Saul-Sena and Kevin White in favor of the resolution. Members John Dingfelder, Rose Ferlita and Shawn Harrison voted against it.

Concern that the council's action could send the wrong message to federal officials considering military base closings, including MacDill Air Force Base, was one reason Dingfelder gave for his vote.

``It would be devastating to even think about the fact that base could close,'' he said. ``It could send a very, very bad message to MacDill and the base closing commission.''

Uh, John, if you’re against the protection of hard fought freedoms, that’s fine, but this issue has even less to do with MacDill than it does with “supporting our troops”. Listen: people are starting to see through this jingoistic bullshit. You might want to come up with something substantive to take a stand on if you want to be noticed favorably by the voters.

Ferlita and Harrison questioned taking up the matter at all, saying the council's time should be spent on city issues.

``We are wasting taxpayers' money by being here tonight,'' Harrison said. ``We ought to [act] on the issues we have control over.''

Saul-Sena helped to get the issue on the council's agenda before she was replaced as chairwoman last week.

``As elected officials, it is important for us to consider this,'' she said. ``I do not believe our civil liberties are a partisan issue.''

Important changes often start with symbolic actions such as the resolution, White said. ``Enough boards like this can say, ... `We demand change.' ''

Congratulations to Gwen Miller, Mary Alvarez, Linda Saul-Sena and Kevin White for having the courage to stand up to bullies like Dingfelder and Harrison who just don’t get the fact that freedom and liberty are core American values worth fighting for. Why do John Dingfelder, Rose Ferlita and Shawn Harrison hate America?