Peace Activists Protest FISA Vote

Peace Activists to Protest FISA Vote Monday
Protest Planned in front of Corker/Alexander Offices

Nashville, TN: Members of the Nashville Peace Coalition, allied organizations and third party candidates for public office are planning to protest the planned vote in the US Senate this week of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which offers blanket immunity to Telecom Corporations that spy on Americans. The Peace Coalition plans to protest on the corner of West End Ave. and Murphy Rd on Monday, July 7 from 4:30pm - 5:30pm. The group also plans to deliver handwritten letters to Senators Corker and Alexander urging a "No" vote on FISA which is expected to be voted on Tuesday in the US Senate.

In a release last week to the general media, Chris Lugo, a member of the Nashville Peace Coalition and candidate for US Senate said that he was concerned about the issue of immunity for corporations that spy on Americans, saying that "Our rights are not negotiable. Telecommunication companies have violated those rights and have broken the law in order to appease a corrupt and power hungry administration that is willing to throw out habeas corpus, the right to privacy and international law in a reckless drive down the road to never-never land. Corporations must be held accountable and the President and his cronies must be called to account for violating our basic constitutional rights."

If passed on Tuesday, the National Security Agency would be able to legally collect information on US citizens engaged in ordinary, everyday communication without a federal warrant. Additionally, private citizens would be unable to obtain Freedom of Information Requests concerning their privacy and would be unable to sue corporations who give their private information to the government.

The Nashville Peace Coalition is a collection of individuals and organizations dedicated to peace and social justice whose primary focus for the past five years has been ending the war in Iraq. The peace coalition has organized numerous demonstrations, educational events and vigils to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home. In addition to the Nashville Peace Coalition, some members of the Green Party of Tennessee and the Libertarian Party of Tennessee have committed to attending the rally, including several candidates for public office.