OB Rag reports the following about new organizing happening across the nation concerning Obama's signing of the Indefinite Detention Bill or National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as it is formally called.
In a clear sign that grassroot activists on the left and on the right are joining together to fight the National Defense Act that President Obama signed into law on the last day of 2011, San Diego progressives and tea party groups are mobilizing starting this week in joint actions against local Congressional representatives.
Activists and organizers at both of the ideological ends of the political spectrum are extremely upset and concerned with provisions of the NDAA that will allow the government to pick up and detain American citizens indefinitely without charges and without trials.
A group in San Diego has formed the Save the Bill of Rights; they meet weekly, have a website and Facebook, and are planning at least two actions in the upcoming weeks.
Both libertarian Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who is running for president, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, for example, have issued statements saying the NDAA provisions violate the Fifth Amendment.
Since Obama signed the Act into law on December 31st, there have been bills introduced in both the House and Senate to repeal the worst of the NDAA and prohibit indefinite detention of U.S. citizens. Senator Diane Feinstein has introduced one such bill; it has bipartisan support in the Senate, and a House version has been introduced. Republican Ron Paul also introduced a similar measure.
Numerous petitions have been geared up against the NDAA. Here is one such petition calling on Congress to undo the NDAA.
February 3rd will be a National Day of Action against the NDAA, and the call is to protest at Congressional offices all over the country. Other groups have joined these efforts, including the hacksters Anonymous.
In Maine a protest will be held on February 3 at the Augusta offices of Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins who both voted in favor of the bill. (Maine's two members of the House of Representatives voted against the NDAA.) The protest will be held from noon until closing time - folks are invited to come for a shift and hold signs. Call Cathy Mink for details at 207-338-4920.
In Portland a protest will be held on February 3 from Noon - 2:00 pm at the office of Sen. Snowe (3 Canal Plaza Suite 601). Call 221-5899 for details.
It is my hope that we can see more joint protests and meetings between folks on the left and right. God knows we need to stop demonizing each other and figure out how we are all being screwed by the 1%. Our salvation is in our ability to bury the hatchet and work together when we can find common ground. The oligarchy counts on us hating one another.
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