| By Colin Gallagher on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 11:48 pm: Edit Post |
URGENT MESSAGE FOR RESIDENTS OF AL, AZ, CA, FL, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, NC, OH, OK, OR, TN, UT, and WV: YOUR SENATORS ARE ABOUT TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION RELATED TO INTELLIGENCE MONITORING OF _YOU!_
IF YOU LIVE in any of the above States, or if you care about what our government is planning to do to Americans (whether it's another Enron scam or a McCarthyesque "Freedom Corps" TIPS program), read the below message IMMEDIATELY.
ON JULY 31, 2002, the Senate Select Intelligence Committee will hold hearings to examine whether or not to exclude U.S. persons from the definition of a "foreign power." Addressing this issue, a bill (S.2586) will be considered that could offer a greater degree of protection to U.S. persons from intelligence activities of the U.S. government, by removing U.S. persons from the "foreign power" definition. - BUT: (!)
IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU LET THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE KNOW THAT S.2586, OR ANY LEGISLATION BEING CONSIDERED, SHOULD ONLY BE APPROVED IF ITS LANGUAGE OFFERS GREATER PROTECTION SPECIFICALLY FOR U.S. CITIZENS, NOT CORPORATIONS, FROM THE ACTIVITIES OF INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES. (Scroll to the end of this message for a sample letter and a link to send it right from your computer. The sample letter is carefully worded to encourage protection of U.S. citizens and Peace Corps Volunteers from the PATRIOT Act, the USA Freedom Corps Executive Order / TIPS program, and previously existing legislation and Executive Orders.)
According to previously secret documents obtained from the National Security Agency under the Freedom of Information Act, there have been specific guidelines for using U.S. identities in intelligence gathering of the kind to be discussed in the July 31 hearing. Here is a quotation from the released NSA document dated March of 1994 on the definition of a U.S. person:
"Very generally... a U.S. person is:
- a U.S. citizen
- a permanent resident alien (green card holder)
- a CORPORATION incorporated in the U.S., unless it is openly acknowledged by a foreign government to be directed and controlled by that government
- an unincorporated association organized in the U.S. or headquartered in the U.S.
- an unincorporated association with headquarters outside the U.S., if a substantial number of its members are U.S. citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or
- a U.S. flagged non-governmental aircraft or vessel."
COME ON PEOPLE -- We must make our voices heard!! Below is the information you will need. The act of sending a message can be done in a couple of minutes while you are still online, in a simple two-step process. Step up!
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Graham (FL) Shelby (AL)
Levin (MI) Kyl (AZ)
Rockefeller (WV) Inhofe (OK)
Feinstein (CA) Hatch (UT)
Wyden (OR) Roberts (KS)
Durbin (IL) DeWine (OH)
Bayh (IN) Thompson (TN)
Edwards (NC) Lugar (IN)
Mikulski (MD)
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL ONLINE
1. Highlight with your mouse and "COPY" the following sample letter.
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Dear Senator _________,
It is critical that S.2586, or any legislation being considered, should only be approved if its language offers greater protection for U.S. citizens, not profit-making corporations -- which are part of the intelligence definition of a "U.S. person."
Additionally, I hope you will consider the below definition in your discussion of foreign powers and U.S. persons. The below paragraph is known as the “4/2/63” definition, as it is thought to express the spirit of Sargent Shriver’s conversation with President Kennedy on 4/2/63 in which they discussed how to effectively keep the CIA out of the Peace Corps. Similar language is currently supported by 450 U.S. citizens ( see petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/632965389 ).
Proposed "4/2/63" Definition:
"For the purposes of disclosure of information describing activities undertaken pursuant to the Peace Corps Act, the Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century Act, or other future Acts elaborating upon the mission and purpose of the United States Peace Corps, and to prevent inadvertent use of Peace Corps information as foreign intelligence information, the term “relevant information” shall not include information from Peace Corps which relates to the capabilities, intentions, and activities of foreign powers, organizations, or persons, where such information could become foreign intelligence or could be used as such by agencies other than Peace Corps; except where transfer of such information is required to safely prepare for evacuation of groups of Peace Corps Volunteers from a host country.”
Thank you for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely, ______________
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2. You've "copied" the letter. Now click on the below link, and just follow the instructions it gives you. In minutes you will be able to customize and send the letter by "pasting" it to an online form.
http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/dbq/officials/
(For future reference)
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATION ONLINE
http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/dbq/media/
| By Vera Preston-Jaeger on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 2:17 pm: Edit Post |
The Tips Program is a terrible idea. It is even more inappropriate for the Peace Corps to have any connection whatsoever with the Tips Program.
Ashcroft is asking us to report on our neighbors in a way that Communist countries have encouraged their citizens to do. Any connection with the Tips program tarnishes the image of the Peace Corps!
The Peace Corps should remain apart from other programs to maintain its credibility.
| By Richard Roth on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 6:48 pm: Edit Post |
The TIPs program is a dreadful idea, and has absolutely no legitmitate connection with the ideals and mandate of the Peace Corps.
I have twice served as a Volunteer in two different countries. The suspicion level was already high before this proposed legislation.
If this is passed, the role of PCV's will be completely altered, suspect, and forever changed
from the image of the idealistic "do-gooder" volunteer organization--to a network, cabal of spies.
R. Roth,
RPCV, Sierra Leone, 91-92; Mozambique, 98-2001
| By Leon A. Cloutier on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 5:18 am: Edit Post |
As a RPCV from Iran(1964-66), I remember that we were not suppose to get involved in any type of spying for our govt. This was not only for own safety but to maintain the independace of the Peace Corps from any other govt. agency. We were always under suspicion from our host country's govt. As far as passing on info about certain host country's terrain,etc., after one leaves the Peace Corps, is a different story. If it relates only to national security, I have no problem with that. But, this is upto each individual, not all RPCV's.