From minutes of Interim Meeting of
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting ,
Min 3-A-(4). A Minute on the Patriot Act was brought by Howard Cell
for the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee:
The Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers) practices its faith by seeking Truth, discerned when our hearts and
minds are open to the Inward, Divine Light. We bear witness to this Truth
through our testimonies of Community, Equality, Simplicity, Integrity, and
Peace, which enable people to open their hearts and minds so they recognize
that of God within one another.
This country was founded by
individuals, some of them Quakers, who sought a country that protected the
civil liberties of its citizens and provided for their pursuit of life, liberty
and religious freedom. We view freedom of speech as inherent to our ability to
practice our faith.
Congressional representatives under
pressure in 2001 hastily passed the Uniting and Strengthening America by
Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of
2001 (USA Patriot Act). We find that this Act has:
- eroded
civil liberties and access to information of
- destabilized the balance of powers
between branches of government, and
- removed much of the Constitutional
oversight mandated for the protection of citizens from unwarranted searches,
seizures, and detention.
The USA Patriot Act represents a
climate of fear and distrust as being the stance of our government, putting it
at odds with the citizens it was created to represent and protect from
intrusive, arbitrary government. Our country needs to look beyond the emotions
that enabled the USA Patriot Act, and move forward with wisdom and a spirit that
encourages peace.
Now, in the 108th Congress, efforts
are underway to further curtail the rights of American citizens with the
Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 (commonly known as Patriot Act II).
We ask ourselves, "At what point do people lose the power to challenge
their government's misuse of authority?" Learning from history, we must
have the courage to act despite fear, and call our government to account while
it is still possible to do so.
Therefore, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) urges the United States
Government to protect and revive the civil liberties that have contributed to a
vigorous society where differing views could be freely heard, absolute
administrative power was checked by judicial and legislative review, and
minorities were provided constitutional protection. We believe these freedoms
are a more powerful means to future security than repression can ever be.
Friends
of Interim Meeting united to join in this Minute. Thom and the clerks of
Interim Meeting and Yearly Meeting will act on our behalf to transmit the
Minute to the President of the