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Notes from meeting 9/13/03:

Attending: Abe, Catherine, Charles, Eric, Gunnel, Janet, Judy, Marty

USA PATRIOT Act status update for King County via ACLU

Gunnel reported that ACLU is lobbying King County Council for passage of resolution against USA PA. King County Councilmember Dwight Pelz told Gunnel that the resolution?could be introduced Monday and that passage is pretty certain. The Snow Patriot Act committee would like the campaign to go on as an organizing tool and to collect more signatures to make it a true citizens resolution. ACLU?suggested focus now could be placed on a state resolution.

Feedback from Tuesday, September 9th USA PATRIOT Act panel discussion

Event was a great success, despite fewer signatures gathered (people already had signed petitions elsewhere). 85 people in attendance. ? T-shirts sold very well.

USA PA resolution signature-gathering venues

We agreed to help keep the Fremont Market table going by?staffing the table one a month.

Plans for Fremont Sunday Market, September 21, space?#82.
Eric & Judy 9:00 - 11:00 set-up
Abe & Gunnel 11:00 - 1:00
Charles & Kay 1:00 - 3:00
Catherine & Janet 3:00 - 5:00 take-down

Supplies needed: Two chairs, table and canap? from the Fremont group, t-shirts, petitions & clipboards, pens (bring new functioning ones!), Wage Peace signs, UN lapel buttons, voter registration forms, literature. Other possible material from FOR/SNOW via Gunnel, who will also contact the Fremont group to inform and coordinate with them.

Issaquah Salmon Days, October 5th - time not yet decided. We decided to go as a group, and to contact ESPN (East Suburban Peace Network to coordinate with them in case they are planning to use the event to gather signatures as well.

Future plans for USA PATRIOT Act debate

Marty initiated idea for a public pro-and-con debate about the USA PATRIOT Act, emphasized the need to bring concrete examples of transgressed civil liberties to educate the public more fully about the impact.

Gunnel suggested that we contact the ACLU for speaker contacts who are proponents of the USA PA. She agreed to contact Doug Honig to discuss with him the idea of a debate and of him as a possible member of the panel.

The group decided that we will need?2-3 speakers on each side with one strong, neutral moderator.

Abe proposed inviting a representative from the State Department of Justice to?clarify the USA PA's provisions within a debate context. He also proposed the creation of a committee (suggestions were Abe, Howard, Doug Honig, Dwight Pelz, Jim McDermott and Eric) to strategize the event.

Eric?recommended that the committee contain a representative from?various groups like ACLU, SNOW, League of Women?Voters etc., who might?be willing to engage in planning this event.

The debate would be held the second week of January '04 or first week of Dec.

Explore venue options--Kane Hall? Town Hall? A church with large seating capacity?