The teach-in, titled "Enduring Freedoms: Civil and Immigrants' Rights After Sept. 11," was the fifth in a series that began after the terrorist attacks. The event was sponsored by a number of groups, including PROGRESS and the Progressive Faculty Network, and featured six speakers who spoke to a full auditorium of students, faculty and local residents.
Every panelist discussed dangers to civil liberties in the aftermath of the attacks. Elizabeth McLaughlin, an attorney and the event's moderator, said Americans are living in a period of great civil rights transition. "We find ourselves at a crossroads, or have we already passed that crossroads?" she asked. "This is a dangerous, dangerous time."
Several panelists expressed concern about the USA PATRIOT Act, Congress' anti-terrorism legislation. Deborah Ross, executive director of the N.C. chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, called parts of the bill ridiculous.
Ross said the recently passed legislation infringes on basic rights of both Americans and immigrants in many ways. "If the FBI calls, call your lawyer," she said. "Anything you say can and will be used against you."
UNC law Professor Deborah Weissman said that the secret military tribunals recently authorized by President Bush especially pose a threat to democracy. "We are acting in a manner contrary to our constitutional and basic human rights," she said.
Other panelists discussed the dangers of civil rights abuses, including racial profiling, immigration restrictions and electronic surveillance. Many of the speakers emphasized the need to be proactive in opposing the government's recent civil liberty legislation. Al McSurely, a local civil rights attorney, said individuals must fight to defend their First Amendment rights.
"What we're really fighting for is the America that can be -- the constitutional America -- for people that will fight for rights," McSurely said.
Elin O'Hara Slavick, an art professor and PFN member, said the teach-in was an important way to educate members of the campus community about civil liberty issues. "It's a way for all of us to understand what the new legislation holds," she said. "It's still necessary to have alternative perspectives that offer you information you don't hear on the news."
The panelists were met with enthusiastic applause and support from the audience. Dana Davis, a sophomore from Charlotte, said she was pleasantly surprised by the tone and content. "It was very interesting and discussed some serious topics," she said. "I was afraid it would be boring or depressing, but I was really happy with what I learned."
