Now that a grand total of "three" people in the U.S. have contracted ebola, politicians and pundits are jumping on the "close our borders" bandwagon. It made us wonder, are they allowed to do that? And, when can local, state and federal authorities impose a quarantine? We took a look and found out the answer: they can do it pretty much whenever they want to. Read Steven Wishnia's report: When Can the Government Impose a Quarantine? [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... uarantine/]
"Among the other stories we covered in the past week:"
In Pennsylvania: the state legislature has fast-tracked the "Silence Mumia" bill [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... umia-bill/] to prevent prisoners and former convicts from speaking out if thier vicitms say it will cause them mental anguish. Governor Corbett is expected to sign the bill.
In Florida: better news out of the state of Florida where the state supreme court has ruled that police must get a warrant [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... e-illegal/] before using people's cell phone data to track them.
In Missouri: it was all out for FergusonOctober. We have a report from Kris Hermes [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... umia-bill/], the National Lawyers Guild Legal Worker Vice President about the many arrests and the inspiring on-the-ground organizing the NLG and others are doing to protect protesters.
In Michigan: the jury in Rasmea Odeh's immigration fraud trial will meet at a secret location and be spirited into the courthouse [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... estration/] so they can't be swayed by protests, a federal judge has ruled. Her support committee says it creates a false atmosphere of danger and will give jurors the wrong impression about the defendent.
At the U.N.: President Obama spoke about the importance of nurturing civil society worldwide, but the Charity and Security Network's Kay Guinane questions whether the administration has a blind spot about the effect counterterrorism measures have on civil society here at home. [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... s-it-real/]
Over at [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/wat ... itutional/]BigBrotherBlog [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/wat ... itutional/], over 60 organizations sent a letter to the Obama administration last week demading a meeting and specific reforms to the country's watchlisting procedures to protect privacy and civil liberties.
Our new blog, [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/esp ... -movement/]FBIWatch [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/esp ... -movement/] reveals newly released files show the FBI infiltrated the Chicano movement in Los Angeles in the 1960s-1970s. Surprised?
If you thirst for even more news, check out Suraj Sazawal's curated news collection at our InTheNews [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/inthenews/] blog for articles from around the mainstream media that will surely pique your interest.
And, breaking news that will stir emotions among our longtime supporters: David Greenglass is Dead [
http://www.defendingdissent.org/now/new ... s-is-dead/].