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ACLU State Chapters Launch Campaign to Warn Patrons about Patriot ActAmerican Civil Liberties Union chapters in two states have launched campaigns to warn library patrons that federal agents may be secretly viewing their records under the USA Patriot Act.The ACLU chapters in New Mexico and Florida are distributing posters to libraries with a photo of the Statue of Liberty in the background and text that reads: “Records of the books and other materials you borrow from this library may be obtained by federal agents. That federal law prohibits librarians from informing you if records about you have been obtained by federal agents.” The 10-by-12-inch posters urge patrons to direct their questions about the policy to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. “This is a unique way for us to demonstrate to the public how the Patriot Act can infringe on their private lives,” said ACLU of New Mexico Executive Director Peter Simonson in the July 27 Santa Fe New Mexican. “We’re concerned that as we get further and further away from the passage of the Patriot Act, the public becomes more apathetic and forgets about what we lost under that legislation.” “We’re not trying in any way to scare the public into not using libraries,” ACLU of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon said in the July 31 Tallahassee Democrat. “We want them to know about the radical and dramatic change that has affected their rights, and we hope to motivate them to demand a repeal from Congress.” Posted August 4, 2003. |
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