The College Community Discusses
The Patriot Act and U.S. Civil Liberties
Manhattan College hosted a panel discussion, “The Patriot Act: Tool Against Terror or Threat to Civil Liberties?” this past March in the College’s Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers. The panel was comprised of David Kelley, U.S. Attorney-Southern District of New York, and Udi Ofer, project director for the New York Bill of Rights Defense Campaign. The two addressed concerns in favor and against the Patriot Act and other legislation enacted by the federal government in the name of national security. The discussion was the idea of a student, John Charles Coutavas ’05. Having heard so many viewpoints against the Patriot Act, he was interested in learning and presenting the College community with both sides of the debate. Coutavas said: “I had read
a few books, specifically David Cole’s Terrorism and the Constitution, about the potential threat posed by certain legislation the federal government has passed in eroding our civil liberties. Everything I had read or heard about the Patriot Act were from those voices against it. I wanted to hear that other side. The whole premise of the debate was to present listeners with both sides and to have them make up their own minds.” And the discussion met all of his expectations. The speakers provided the insights into the Patriot Act that he had been hoping to learn. Kelley joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1988. From 1993 until 1995, he served as deputy chief of Organized Crime and Violent Gangs Unit. Shortly thereafter, Kelley was named chief of the newly formed Organized Crime and
NBC Correspondent Seasoned journalist and author Linda Fasulo addressed 175 attendees in Smith Auditorium when she presented a lecture in February that examined the relationship between the United States and the United Nations in the post-9/11 world. Fasulo, UN correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, spent a majority of the time answering questions from guests and eliciting discussion about changes made by both parties to fight terrorism. She gave an overview of how the relationship between the United Nations and the U.S. has evolved into a tighter pact after the 9/11 terrorists
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Terrorism Unit, where he personally prosecuted or supervised terrorism and organized crime cases. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft appointed Kelley in 2003 to his current position as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Ofer is an attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) as well as director of the New York Bill of Rights Defense Campaign. The New York Bill of Rights Defense Campaign was created to ensure that government antiterrorism initiatives uphold civil liberties and civil rights and that constitutional rights are not sacrificed in the name of national security. Ofer, a Crowley Advocate in International Human Rights Law, speaks frequently on post-9/11 civil liberties issues.
Fuels Political Discussion
attacks. Fasulo said United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan played a key role in forging a stronger relationship between the two entities. Although the U.S. always played an active role in the UN, Fasulo said the two are in better communication these days and mentioned the solid and strong working partnership between UN Secretary General Annan and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Fasulo, who is a frequent contributor to National Public Radio (NPR) and served as special UN correspondent for U.S. News
& World Report, also is the author of two books, the recently published The Insider’s Guide to the United Nations and Representing America: Experiences of the U.S. Diplomats at the UN. On September 11, Fasulo was on the forefront of the terrorist attacks, covering the tragic event on-site from the World Trade Center, and has continued to cover U.S. foreign policy and international news. She is a frequent speaker at many universities and Model UN conferences. An honorary fellow of the Foreign Press Association, Fasulo also covers human rights and women’s issues.