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Utah Officers
Intimidated to Attend Ashcroft's Rally Today!
(Alert for
8/25/03)
Summary: We just received
a report from a Utah police officer that he and others are
being coerced and intimidated into attending U.S. Attorney
General John Ashcroft's rally today in Salt Lake City! We
have substantiated his identity and position, but we must
protect the identity of this officer from his superiors at
this time. We hope to gain citizen support so that he and
others like him will be able to speak without fear of
reprisals! Learn what you can do to expose and stop the
corruption!
Topics:
1.
Letter from Utah Police Officer Exposing Intimidation!
2. TAKE
ACTION! Protect Your Police Officers from Abuse!
1. Letter from Utah Police
Officer Exposing Intimidation!
Below is the letter we received
from a Utah police officer, describing the abuse of power he
is enduring because he has a conscience and a different
political opinion.
Accountability Utah,
There is a media dog & pony show
tomorrow Monday, August 25th, in Salt Lake with U.S. Attorney
General John Ashcroft. There will be many law enforcement
uniforms in attendance to indicate that law enforcement is
solidly with Mr. Ashcroft. I have been instructed
that I will be there in uniform indicating my support by my
agency. I watched with dismay during the Clinton
administration as "photo-op cops" stood behind Bill Clinton,
allegedly supporting his unconstitutional infringements. I
read in print of law enforcement officers forced by their
agencies to stand behind him, some which initiated law suits —
the outcome of which I am uncertain.
I have a real personal problem
with indicating that I support something that I do not. In
this case I am still unsure where exactly we need to draw the
line. I firmly believe that giving government to much free
rein is a recipe for disaster, the government agency that I
work for does things now which concern me. That being said,
we do need to have the ability to investigate, apprehend,
prosecute, and punish evil people who would kill, injure, or
otherwise disrupt the peaceful lives of law-abiding persons.
Perhaps somewhere in the Patriot Act proposals there is for
reasonable measures 'with appropriate accountability for
the use of such measures.' It has been my experience that
accountability goes a long way toward keeping government and
individuals honest.
I have read other information on
this subject, most notably from "The Center for Public
Integrity," that has been very helpful in determining where I
stand on this "Domestic Security Enhancement Act". I am still
unsure as to what should be reasonable, additional tools for
our Federal government to combat terrorism — assuming that
there are any needed. However, I am sure that I cannot fully
support the current Patriot Act provisions without someone in
favor of this Act delivering their justification. This
disturbs me because I consider myself a proud supporter of
President Bush's War on Terrorism and I thank God that he is
leading this country at this time. I don't consider President
Bush's election as an accident. I feel that it was meant to
be, yet I know that he is not infallible.
The reality is that government
has the means to abuse any of it's given powers, and that is
why we attempt to elect government officials with integrity.
I also fully understand the fear of allowing the camel's nose
under the tent... we give them Patriot Act II, what may
potentially follow with a Patriot Act III? And so on.
Moreover, I fully agree with Benjamin Franklin that to give up
liberty in the hope of a little security is futile and renders
a person, community, society, and/or country undeserving of
neither.
Thank you for your time and
information...
Top
2. TAKE ACTION! Protect Your Police
Officers from Abuse!
Act today to expose and end this
corruption! Here is what you need to do:
1. Forward this message to your
family, friends, and associates. Let them know that
their police officers are being betrayed and abused!
2. Call your county mayor,
county sheriff, city mayor, and city police chief.
Demand to know whether they "instruct" their officers to
attend political rallies. Let them know what you think
of letting the police officers you fund to be abused
for such purposes. You can find their contact information in
the blue pages of your telephone book.
3. Call your legislator to
demand that they immediately open an extensive investigation
into this shameful coercion of our law enforcement. Also
demand that they institute serious action against any law
enforcement superior who forces their political agenda on our
officers. It is political strong-arming of the absolute
worst kind, it is illegal, it is an immoral slap in the face
of every Utahn, and it has no place in this country!
If you need help finding your legislator, visit our
elected official contact page.
4. E-mail us at
info@accountabilityutah.org and let us know how your
officials reacted. If you know any police officers, forward
this information to them and let them know that Accountability
Utah will be investigating this further.
5. If you are a glutton for
being marginalized and ignored, you can also contact Utah
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Under the Utah
Constitution, he is supposed to be watching out for your
police officers.
Attorney General main number: (801) 538-9600
Attorney General main e-mail:
uag@utah.gov
6. Get angry as you reflect on
these young and elder officers who are stripped of their right
of conscience and forced to stand behind U.S. Attorney General
John Ashcroft's self-serving photo-op.
Top
If you have comments or suggestions, please
email us at info@accountabilityutah.org.
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