SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
From the coalition group StopWatching.us, of which DownsizeDC.org is a part:
Right now the NSA is spying on everyone's personal communications, and they're operating without any meaningful oversight. Since the Snowden leaks started, more than 569,000 people from all walks of life have signed the StopWatching.us petition telling the U.S. Congress that we want them to rein in the NSA.
On October 26th, the 12th anniversary of the signing of the US Patriot Act, we're taking the next step and holding the largest rally yet against NSA surveillance. We'll be handing the half-million petitions to Congress to remind them that they work for us — and we won't tolerate mass surveillance any longer.
We invite you to get involved. There are ways to do so even if you can't attend. Find out more on our blog.
You also have opportunities to protest illegal spying through DownsizeDC.org, such as today's…
ACTION ITEM
NSA crimes are so rampant that even the normally statist New York Times is fed up…
Its editorial board wants Congress to pass Rep. Rush Holt’s Surveillance State Repeal Act.
DownsizeDC.org wants that too.
Do you?
If so, please tell your Representative and Senators.
The hardwired message says simply…
Co-sponsor the “Surveillance State Repeal Act (HR 2818).”
You may borrow from or copy these additional sample comments…
HR 2818 repeals the Patriot Act and the FISA Amendments Act. It prohibits the unconstitutional harvesting of my phone calls and emails. It deserves your support for that simple reason.
But it does more. It prevents my providers from being forced to give the NSA “back door” access to encryption systems that protect my information.
This is very important to me. As the New York Times argues, “If back doors are built into systems by the N.S.A., who is to say that other countries' spy agencies — or hackers, pirates and terrorists — won't discover and exploit them?” (http://nyti.ms/18MnPfq)
The NSA's tactics undermine faith that our “cloud” information will be protected. Passing HR 2818 will assure me that Internet companies will compete to keep my information and private communications safe, and that they are not NOT giving the NSA unfettered access.
But HR 2818 will NOT hamper valid investigations. It just requires surveillance to be done with a search warrant based on probable cause. This is what the Fourth Amendment requires. Before the Patriot Act, it served the nation well for over 200 years.
And so…
Honor your Oath of Office to support the Constitution and…
Get rid of the Surveillance State!
—END OF LETTER—
You can send your letter using DownsizeDC.org’s Educate the Powerful System.
You will receive a copy of your letter to Congress via email. Please share your letter with friends and ask them to take the same action.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.