From the Executive Director, Sue Armstrong

From the Executive Director's Desk
Sue Armstrong

Sue Armstrong
As the first anniversary of September 11 rolls around Congress will reconvene and once again focus on passing legislation designed to protect United States citizens from another terrorist attack. It will be even more critical than ever for thoughtful, responsible people to monitor proposed legislation, to raise questions and voice concerns.

During these summer months, this administration kicked off Operation TIPS (Terrorism Information and Prevention System) described on a government Web site as "a nationwide program giving millions of American truckers, letter carriers, train conductors, ship captains, utility employees and others a formal way to report suspicious terrorist activity."

Postal workers opted out early in the program. The Department of Justice announced on August 9 that, "given the concerns raised during the program development phase about safeguarding against all possibilities of invasion of individual privacy, ... the [Operation TIPS] hotline number will not be shared with any workers, including postal and utility workers, whose work puts them in contact with homes and private property." Those in the private sector who participate will be responsible for training their own employees.

In a nutshell, the Department of Justice heard the public outcry and engaged in significant public relations damage control. They have yet to understand that the enlistment of thousands of truckers, dock workers and railway personnel - untrained in the demands of our civil liberties - pits citizen against citizen through government-condoned snooping and ratting.

Please "bookmark" the ACLU Web site (www.aclu.org) on your computer and keep abreast of proposals before Congress this September. Keep your legislators' contact information at hand - and voice your concerns. Senator Biden and other Congressional leaders will need your voice in protesting labor rights for federal employees that are threatened in the Homeland Security proposals. Our legislators need to hear from you.

My best,

Sue Armstrong