A new resolution
passed at Georgetown Law School condemming this administrations use of
spying on college campuses and the overall police state measures that
are ripping up the governing norms of society.
The resolution was authored by Rebecca Shaeffer; you can read her speech at the Feb. 4th protests to demand Bush Step Down here and click below for the resolution.
Resolution 0535: Georgetown University Law Center SBA “No Illegal Surveillance” Resolution
WHEREAS, Georgetown University Law Center
respects the rights of its students to gather, organize, and speak
freely on political issues without fear of government intrusion or
surveillance.
WHEREAS, Ongoing
revelations surrounding government surveillance programs have raised
public awareness that government surveillance is expanding and existing
legal safeguards are diminishing.
WHEREAS,
The National Security Agency’s (NSA) domestic wiretapping program has
raised serious legal concerns under federal law, the First and Fourth
Amendments, and the Constitution’s separation of powers.
WHEREAS,
The full extent of domestic surveillance activities undertaken by
government agencies including the NSA, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the Pentagon remains unknown.
WHEREAS, There is an extensive history of government abuse of such programs.
WHEREAS,
University students who have engaged in legal, non-violent political
activism and education have been monitored under various state and
federal government surveillance programs(UC Santa Cruz’s Students
Against War, NYU Law School’s Outlaw chapter and an Arab-American
conference at Stanford University are among the organizations and
events that have been monitored.
WHEREAS,
Catholic and Jesuit-identified organizations, including the Thomas More
Center for Peace and Justice and the Catholic Workers Group have also
been targeted for government surveillance.
WHEREAS,
The FBI, the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications
Commission are in favor of requiring providers of communications
systems, including Universities, to create systems that will facilitate
government surveillance of their users.
WHEREAS, These surveillance programs and policies represent a threat to academic freedom.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: BE IT RESOLVED that the Georgetown
University Law Center (GULC) SBA does not condone or accept the
legitimacy of any government surveillance program conducted on
Georgetown University campuses that is not in accordance with federal
law and the United States Constitution, and that does not protect the
First and Fourth Amendment rights of all members of the university
community.
BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that the GULC SBA expresses its particular concern
that the government not engage in surveillance of any members of the
Georgetown University community or conduct physical searches of any
members of the university community, their property or university
property without judicial warrants. The GULC SBA is further concerned
that the government not engage in any surveillance of any student
groups or individuals engaged in speech or expression protected by the
First Amendment.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GULC SBA expresses its desire that
Georgetown University enact a campus-wide policy consistent with this
resolution, and that the policy affirm Georgetown University’s support
of its students’ rights to free political and religious assembly and
expression, including their rights to engage in lawful direct action,
education, and political advocacy. The GULC SBA further expresses its
desire that the policy state Georgetown University’s opposition to any
program that would facilitate increased surveillance of members of the
university community or further threaten academic freedom.
Finally,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an official copy of this petition be
printed and distributed to the Chairman of the Board of Directors,
President of the University, Secretary of the University, Vice
President General Counsel, Vice President for Mission and Ministry,
Provost, Dean of the College, Dean of the Graduate School, Vice
President for Student Affairs, Vice President for Public Affairs and
Strategic Development, Vice President and Chief Human Resources
Officer, and the Dean of the Law Center.
*** Sponsored by: Beau Finley and Luke van Houwelingen
Authored by: Rebecca Shaeffer and James Duff Lyall Adopted: March 29, 2006