Friends, I received this street theatre piece from Bill and Judy Baker,
two rockin' Maine activists. Please read on and be in touch with them if
you need more information / have questions. - Jo
Dear friends, This is a short, informational, street theatre piece our
Southern Maine group has written and also performed for groups and in
public areas . If you find it useful, please feel free to use it - change
it if you will - and if you do use it, could you let us know?
Bill and Judy Baker for the Freedom Rousers,
billjudybaker@yahoo.com
The Bill of Rights and The USA Patriot Act
Speaker 1:
Speaker 2:
Bell Ringer:
From the crowd 1:
From the crowd 2:
From the crowd 3:
Bell Ringer: (actors are in line behind you) [RING BELL] HEAR YE. HEAR
YE. HEAR YE. WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a
more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the
Blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
(pause) [RING BELL]
The Freedom Rousers now present: The Bill of Rights and the USA PATRIOT
Act (Ring Bell again.
From the Crowd 1: I don't understand! I've never heard of this
so-called Patriot Act.
From the Crowd 2: It must be good, right? At least it's called the
Patriot Act.
Speaker 1: (stepping onto the Soapbox) Let me help you REMEMBER our
Bill of Rights.
Speaker 2: (stepping onto the Soapbox) Let me help you UNDERSTAND the
USA Patriot Act.
Speaker 1: REMEMBER THE FIRST AMENDMENT to our constitution!
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Speaker 2: BUT UNDERSTAND. ARTICLE 215 of the USA Patriot Act puts
these rights in jeopardy. The FBI can require librarians and booksellers
to report on what you read and what you buy and they are forbidden to tell
you.
From the crowd 2: You mean to tell me my reading habits can be watched?
Speaker 2: YES. DO UNDERSTAND. That's exactly what it means. And your
librarian has to give them the information or face arrest.
From the Crowd 1: But I don't even go to the library.
From the Crowd 3: But I do.
Speaker 2: Listen. UNDERSTAND. There's more: The "ATTORNEY GENERALS
EDICT" authorizes the FBI to place religious and political groups under
surveillance without evidence of wrong doing.
From the Crowd 1: I don't get it.
From the Crowd 2: Does that mean what I think it means?
I can be spied on in my church?
Speaker 2: Yes. You understand correctly. Now the FBI can place
religious and political groups under surveillance even if there's no
evidence of wrong-doing.
From the Crowd 3: I remember they tried to intimidate and harass me
during the Vietnam War. All I did was sign a few petitions, write
letters to my newspaper, try to get a discussion group going at my church.
From the Crowd 1: Remind us again. What does the First Amendment say?
Speaker 1: OK. REMEMBER. The first amendment states that: Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances.
From the Crowd 2: Are there any other rights at risk?
Speaker 1: Yes. REMEMBER THE FOURTH AMENDMENT FROM THE BILL OF RIGHTS!
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported
by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Speaker 2: BUT UNDERSTAND. SECTION 218 of the USA Patriot Act
eliminates the need for the FBI to show "probable cause" before
conducting secret searches or surveillance to obtain evidence of a
possible crime.
From the Crowd 1: What's so bad about that?
From the Crowd 2: Wait a minute. Don't they need probable cause to
search me, my house, put a wiretap on my phone?
From the Crowd 3: No. That's the point. They don't. Not any longer.
They can do what they want. They don't even need a judge. They'll just doit.
Speaker 2: And UNDERSTAND there is more: SECTION 213 of the USA
PATRIOT Act permits the government to search your house with no one
present and they never even have to tell you.
From the Crowd 1: Wait a minute. Is that saying they can break into my
house and search through my personal belongings?
From the Crowd 2: You got it.
From the Crowd 3: Yeah, you could come home and find a bunch of FBI
guys in jump suits leaving your place, maybe with your computer - You've
probably got emails and personal finances, tax returns and bank accounts
saved on it.
From the Crowd 1: It's like a burglary. It's illegal.
From the Crowd 2: Not any more.
Speaker 1: REMEMBER. THE FIFTH AMENDMENT IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS states
that: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise
infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury,
except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia,
when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any
person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life
or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without
due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use,
without just compensation.
Speaker 2: BUT UNDERSTAND. SECTION 412 of the USA Patriot Act
says: Any United States citizen or non-citizen designated an enemy
combatant, which means--suspected of being a terrorist-- may be placed in
military custody, held in detention indefinitely, interrogated and denied
communication with outsiders or judicial review
From the Crowd 1: Wait, that says 'terrorist.'
From the Crowd 2: SUSPECTED of being a 'terrorist.'
From the Crowd 1: So? I'm not a terrorist!
From the Crowd 2: So? Don't you get it? All they have to do is
SUSPECT you. A neighbor or even a stranger can just SUSPECT you and
you're cooked.
From the Crowd 1: So?
From the Crowd 2: So. You used to be able to get a lawyer, have due
process of law, have a Grand Jury to see if there's enough evidence to
even hold you.
From the Crowd 3: This Patriot Act says they don't even need that. They
can just hold you. (Pause before saying) Forever.
From the Crowd 2: Like those guys down on Guantanamo and even some in
this country all this time. They never got a trial. No lawyer,
nothing. And now who knows what could happen to them.
Speaker 1: REMEMBER. THE SIXTH AMENDMENT IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district
wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have
been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and
cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him;
to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to
have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
Speaker 2: BUT UNDERSTAND. SECTION 412 of the USA Patriot Act states
that: Any US citizen or non-citizen designated an enemy combatant may be
placed in military custody, held in detention indefinitely, interrogated
and denied communication with outsiders or judicial review
From the Crowd 1: Incredible!
From the Crowd 3: Can you hear what they can do? . They don't even have
to tell you why they stuck you in jail. You won't even know who's
accusing you. Forget the right you used to have to a fair trial.
From the Crowd 1: Who passed this Patriot Act anyway?
Speaker 2: Our congress.
From the Crowd 1: Don't tell me President Bush would go for something
like this.
From the crowd 2: Who do you think started it - It was our President.
From the crowd 3: This is awful. What can I do to stop the loss of my
rights?
Speaker 1: REMEMBER. One of our rights is to petition our
government. Speak up! Let people know you don't want your rights messed
with. Write your senators. Write your congressmen. Write the
President. Support a resolution rejecting the USA PATRIOT Act, joining
your city or town with the states of Hawaii, Alaska, , Peterborough, NH
and 122 other cities, towns and counties in upholding the Bill of Rights
-- your Bill of Rights.
Speaker 2: PLEASE UNDERSTAND. Each one of you can make a
difference. Who knows. Maybe the action you take will be just what's
needed to save our liberties guaranteed by our Bill of Rights for future
generations.