Call the Minnesota Congressional delegation THIS WEEK to say don’t renew the PATRIOT Act and stand up for the right to protest!

In February Congress voted to extend three controversial PATRIOT Act provisions – but only for 3 months.  It is now set to expire at the end of May.  We have an opportunity to strongly voice our opposition to these attacks on our civil liberties.

The MN Committee to Stop FBI Repression is particularly concerned about the extension of the PATRIOT Act because the “material support” provision has been used to justify targeting anti-war and international solidarity activists as well as surveillance on peace and justice movements right here in the Twin Cities.  According to the Bill of Rights Defense Committee the material support statute has been used to shut down charities without due process and to jail grassroots donors.  This is just one of the many provisions of the PATRIOT Act which have been used to take away our right to express our political opinions in the name of “national security”.

We encourage you to call your members of the MN Congressional delegation to send a strong message for protection of our civil liberties.

Please call your member of Congress THIS WEEK to:

• Demand that she/he stand up for your constitutional rights and vote against any bill reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act.
• Ask your member of Congress to join with Representatives Ellison, Davis and Price and write a letter to President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder expressing her/his concerns about the FBI’s abuse of power in their attacks on the rights of anti-war protesters.  (For more info go to our webpage.)
• If you’re calling from Minneapolis, ask Ellison’s office what the status is of the Dear Colleague letter he promised  the CSFR in February that he would write.

To find the number of your member of Congress go to:http://www.callcongressnow.com/

Thank you for your support. Please call and write and forward this message to others!

Peace,

The MN Committee to Stop FBI Repression