Document:Libertarian Party of New York News (1999)

The following news appeared on the Libertarian Party of New York's website in 1999.

12/22/99: Protesters in New York City reacted on Tuesday to the movement of the Diallo trial to Albany. Unless the decision is reversed, the police who shot the unarmed immigrant will face jurors in a city far from the one that was policed by them. The Bergen Record and ABC News have the story.

12/8/99: The Erie/Niagara County LP was formed on Thursday, December 2nd. John Wadsworth led the effort to establish this newest LP Chapter. Congrats and welcome!

11/16/99: Some LPNY members have been busy writing Letters to the Editor. Both Hal Phillips and Richard Cooper were published recently in Long Island papers. Read their letters, and what you can do to help remind people about Libertarians... LPNY's Letters to the Editor Campaign. You can win a 'Lights of Liberty' award if you get three letters published which mention Libertarianism!

1999 Election Results
Binghamton
Scott Hurst    City Council    Scott received 28% of the votes, against incumbant Allan Brown, in a two-way race.
Suffolk County
Audrey Pappaeliou    Supervisor    463/58736 votes cast
Michael Walter    Town Council (3 seats)    4421/165645 total votes cast
Amy Fuller    Town Council (3 seats)    583/165645 total votes cast
Thos. Fordham, Jr.    Town Council (3 seats)    458/165645 total votes cast
Gary Heine    Supt. of Highways    258/57106 votes cast
Philip W. Clark    Receiver of T-xes*    320/56026 votes cast
Bruce A. Martin    Suffolk Cty Legislature, 3rd District    87/8508 votes cast
* expletive deleted

10/28/99: Current Libertarian campaigns give people a choice on Election Day! Libertarians Run "B&B" Campaigns. Scott Hurst in Binghamton has met all the challenges the incumbant placed in his way, and is working hard to WIN this election! Read about Scott and some of the issues here, in our new Binghamton section. Suffolk County is the other highlight this year. As usual, they are running an impressive slate of candidates. If you're living in one of these areas, please remember to vote, and give the candidates a call (or an email) if you can help out a bit at the last minute!

Election Day is November 2nd!
10/23/99: Surveillance Camera Players Hit Peeksill! 
The Surveillance Camera Players performed twice on Saturday, at the Steinbeck Building (housing a state welfare office), and the Bohman Towers (a federally-funded housing project). Both are prospective locations for surveillance cameras, against the wishes of many civil libertarians, and other outspoken Peekskill residents. The City Council of Peekskill has changed their council meeting rules to stiffle discussion on the cameras, and several activists have served time in jail (one for 17 days) for merely speaking out against the cameras. Luckily, the incumbents are poised to LOSE their jobs in the coming election, which may help resolve this issue on the side of privacy. See: Surveillance Camera Players web site, about their demonstration 10/23, CitySearch on SCP, and finally... our notes About the Peekskill Camera Proposal

More about Free Speech and Privacy

Also on this day, there was a rally in New York City in front of the State Supreme Court at 60 Centre Street, NYC. It was a demonstration by the Klan and a surprisingly anti-free-speech counter-demonstration by the PDC. Remember what Voltaire said... I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

LPNY activist Jeremiah DeWitt Weiner suggested folks go with a sign to the effect of "Pro free speech, Anti Klan," and try to find a reporter. Make sure you mention you're from the Libertarian Party...

While we detest the Klan, we do see it as a blow to free speech that they were not allowed to protest with their masks. Anonymous speech should also be protected, otherwise tyrannies cannot be criticized.

10/15/99: A bill, S. 1701, was introduced by Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), which would make Civil Asset Forfeiture an even worse problem than it currently is. It would give you fewer rights to reclaim unjustly confiscated property, and would extend the U.S. Dept. of Justice's reach to foreign assets. See FEAR's recent history of federal forfeiture legislation (FEAR is the acronym of the organization Forfeiture Endangers American Rights). They include a comparison of the provisions in Feinstein's bill with the provisions from a bill rejected in 1997. The bill we do support, for actual reform of CAF, is Hyde's H.R. 1658, which passed in the House back in June.

Before you think we support Henry Hyde (R-IL) across the board, we must also warn you about the new life being breathed into the Juvenile Crime Bill he sponsored, which now includes new provisions that threaten gun shows. Call your senators to support the filibuster against S. 1593--here's senate contact info, courtesy of Gun Owners of America.

9/28/99: The current issue of FreeNY, the newsletter of the Libertarian Party of NY, is online--the first issue edited by Jeff Doty. Read about Gary Popkin, LPNY member who was elected to the School Board in Brooklyn!

9/23/99: The Libertarian Party candidate for City Council in Binghamton was successful in his court challenge against the Broome County Board of Elections. Scott Hurst will be on the November ballot on the Libertarian Party line! Scott is one of several Libertarian candidates on the ballot in New York state in November on this off year. Also see who's running in Suffolk County and elsewhere this year.

Speaking of elections, two more Libertarians have stepped into public office for the first time this year: Gary Popkin, elected to Community School Board in Brooklyn, and John Cain, elected to the Clarkstown Planning Board.

9/18/99: Central NY LP Founding Convention will be taking place on September 26th in Syracuse, at the Syracuse Jewish Community Center.

9/15/99: Intership Applications due soon. Find out about the LPNY's Internship program. Applications for Fall Interns are being accepted now.

8/25/99: Today was the last day to complain about the new postal regulations: tomorrow, your Form 1583 is due. See what PostalWatch.org has for you to do about it... Ron Paul has sponsored legislation to stop commercial mailbox providers from being required to collect all kinds of info that the USPS itself doesn't (and can't) collect!

7/13/99: 1999 Libertarian Candidate Nominees need your help! Once again, Suffolk County is the focus...please contact them! All candidates for 1999 elections should have contacted the state committee by now, as well as your webmaster and the editor of FreeNY. The earlier you start petitioning, the better--it's tough being a third party! Online Tips: everything from campaigning tips, short and sweet to Campaigns and Elections.

7/1/99: NY Libertarian Bob Schultz holds a symposium in Washington D.C. on the Legality of Income and Social Security Taxes, with noted experts Joseph Banister, William Benson and William Conklin speaking on the first day, and Dan Mitchell and other proponents of tax reform leading the discussions on July 2nd. For information, please see Symposium Info. The event will be held at the http://npc.press.org/contact.htm

MORE ABOUT OPH: Operation Politically Homeless
Take the Quiz!
6/28/99: LPNY members had an OPH booth at the Gay Pride march yesterday. We were between Clarkson and West Houston on Washington, and we met tons of people. Most folks who took the quiz scored in the liberal-to-libertarian area of the Nolan Chart...but we love you and want you to be free even if you didn't! More info about topics discussed at the booth...the war in the Balkans...minimum wage...police brutality...equal rights for everybody...Giuliani's Got to Go!

6/27/99: Privacy activist and LPNY member Matt Seigel is still without a drivers license after six months, and the NY State DMV won't give him a legal reason why! Rep. Ron Paul's (R-TX) proposal may get Matt back behind the wheel if it passes. Read more about Matt's case and the efforts to prevent a National ID system from invading your privacy.

The annual Gay Pride Parade and festivities are occuring this weekend. As usual, we will be there, enjoying ourselves and trolling for the politically homeless! Join the Libertarian Party of New York there, at spot #141 on Washington Street, between West Houston and Clarkson Sts. Read more about the Gay Pride march, related events, and parties at newyork.Sidewalk.com.

6/25/99: Yesterday, Ron Paul introduced the Privacy Protection Act of 1999 to repeal sections of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibilities Act that will otherwise create a National ID program by October 1, 2000. (press release) Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has lent his support, and for that, we salute him. Please fax the rest of our congresscritters and ask them to follow Maurice's lead. (Fax service courtesy of the ACLU, who also outline the frightening facts about the database of information that will be created as a result.)

Someone stands up against civil asset forfeiture, finally! Henry Hyde (R-IL), of all people, is sponsoring H.R. 1658, the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act, and Ron Paul (R-TX) co-sponsored it. (press release) Today, it passed in the House. Help keep up the momentum by contacting your senators! FEAR (Forfeiture Endangers American Rights) keeps on top of the issue for you.

A brief celebration for the death of the original "Violent Youth Backlash Bill," in the House, but brace yourself for round two of the gun-grabbing. This is a women's issue, an upstate issue, and we have to make it an issue New York City can identify with, also. New Yorkers, do you like living in a city where only the criminals have access to guns, and law-abiding citizens have to stand like deer caught in the headlights, defenseless? Do you know that the courts have held that the police don't have to come protect you? (in Warren v. District of Columbia, D.C. App., 444 A. 2d 1 (1981).) Who will, if you don't protect yourself? See the websites of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership and Gun Owners of America for updates on this fast-moving bill. (GOA has a mailing list with nearly instant updates on gun-related legislation.)

6/7/99: There was a Mental Health Conference today at the White House. We hope President Clinton can get the help he so obviously needs.

The President suffers from extreme cognitive dissonance, at the very least. We saw how he could not reconcile his actions with his own sense of right and wrong--it caused him to lie to the entire population of the United States about his affair with Monica.

In the same vein, we have heard him exhort kids to solve their problems with words, not violence--even while he is in the process of savagely bombing Serbia! It makes no sense, unless you consider that Clinton might have mental health problems.

He certainly suffers from schizophrenia: 
- He hallucinates that he has the approval of the U.S. people and Congress to wage war on another country--when the only vote in Congress was against the use of force. 
- He is deluded in his belief that bombing can bring peace. Seventy-five days of bombing, and we are no closer to a resolution in Kosovo--in fact, the refugees are losing all hope of peace, and their land is irradiated by our bombs. 
- He talks nonsense by saying that Rambouillet was an honest attempt at diplomacy, when even his own advisors say that it was not an agreement the Serbs or any sovereign nation could accept. 
And, finally, 
- Clinton's violent and aggressive behavior is well documented: in his reign as U.S. president, he has bombed Iraq, the Sudan, Afganistan, and now Serbia and Kosovo.

Read about the symptoms of these mental illnesses and decide for yourself: 
A more detailed explanation of Schizophrenia can be found at http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/delusions.html 
Infomation about Cognitive Dissonance can be found at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~chaekm/dissonance.htm

more info on the Balkan humanitarian crisis the U.S. has created
5/27/99: Giuliani and Safir downplay NYPD brutality The New York City mayor and police commissioner point to the testimony finally coming out in the Abner Louima assault trial as a sign that the blue wall of silence has broken. We'd like to point out that admitting you have a problem is only the first step. Early this morning, the Street Crimes Unit shot an unarmed 16-year old boy, Dante Johnson, in the stomach--he is in critical condition. Giuliani and Safir supported the NYPD's Street Crimes Unit after its officers shot unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo 41 times, and they are expressing their support for the officer that shot this boy. The officer, Mark Conway, had no prior assault record. See ABCNews coverage. 5/26/99: Not only has our impeached President violated U.N. regulations by initiating violence against a sovereign country without a Security Council vote, AND violated NATO regulations by attacking a sovereign state when no NATO member had been attacked, BUT NOW ALSO, as of today, he has violated U.S. law by keeping our country at war for more than 60 days in an imbroglio not declared by Congress. (We'd still be against it if they had, of course.)

Clinton's Violation of the War Powers Act:
(b) Within sixty calendar days after a report is submitted or is required to be submitted pursuant to section 4(a)(1), whichever is earlier, the President shall terminate any use of United States Armed Forces with respect to which such report was submitted (or required to be submitted), unless the Congress 
(1) has declared war or has enacted a specific authorization for such use of United States Armed Forces, 
(2) has extended by law such sixty-day period, or 
(3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States.
Such sixty-day period shall be extended for not more than an additional thirty days if the President determines and certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of United States Armed Forces requires the continued use of such armed forces in the course of bringing about a prompt removal of such forces.

from: http://www.temple.edu/histdept/wpa.html

Time for another impeachment--but this time is FOR CAUSE. This Arkansas diplomat is endangering our country, and creating a humanitarian crisis overseas which will likely result in thousands of people killed, even after the fighting stops. Winter comes quickly for hordes of homeless in south-eastern Europe.

5/18/99: The war against Serbia continues. Are we making a difference?

Timeframe    Albanians Killed    Displaced Albanians
before March 24    est. 2,000    est. 200,000
as of May 18th    est. 5,000    est. 950,000
Source: May 18 NATO Briefing on "Operation Allied Force"
Note: U.S.-led NATO forces started bombing March 24, 1999.

More Info on the Balkans

5/14/99: Senate bill S254 passes, further limiting the second amendment and our right to protect ourselves. More info...

Also in the news: Belgrade media reported that NATO aircraft had dropped eight cluster bombs on the village of Korisa, 40 miles southwest of the Kosovo capital, Pristina, killing about 100 civilians in their sleep and wounding 50 others. MSNBC had the full story on this page, but have removed all but a poorly-edited, highly-disclaimed piece.

5/11/99: Action Alert! Fax your Senator! Then, share your opinion on your right to keep and bear arms on CNN's message board.

The Senate will be debating S. 254 today. See if CSPAN is covering it. CNN says that the Republicans and the NRA are collaborating on a plan to combat this victim disarmament bill in the wake of the tragedy at Littleton. There are at least two points we can agree on with our right-winged cousins:

we oppose this restriction on our second-amendment rights, and
we would like to require the Attorney General to give the "highest possible prosecution priority" to all gun crimes...
Of course, we don't know whether you need $75 million to do this. ABC News also covered this White House summit.

5/7/99: Gov. George Bush's office reports they have received hundreds upon hundreds of phone calls and other contacts from gun owners concerned about S. 254, a juvenile crime bill proposed in the wake of the Littleton shootings, says Gun Owners of America. All kinds of amendments could still be tacked onto it, including Clinton's proposals. GOA recommends that you ask your Senators to resist chipping away at the second amendment, and instead support repealing the School Zones Gun Ban. The ban has not stopped kids from shooting up schools, but it does threaten to penalize decent Americans like Joel Myrick of Pearl, Mississippi who used his firearm to subdue a gunman in 1997. Self-defense and the defense of those around you should not be a felony! Fax and E-mail your Senator!

New York Libertarians reflect on the tragedy at Columbine
5/3/99: At least two Libertarians need your support! John Clifton is running for school board in the city, and Bob Armstrong is running for Congress. Let us know if you are running for any position in 1999, and we'll get you as much help as we can muster. Remember, if we don't know you are running (or are interested in running), we can't help you! Find out more about the candidates at LPNY's Campaign Central.

5/2/99 U.S. tries diplomacy in Serbia for first time in 40 days; three captive U.S. soldiers are released. Strangely enough, it was not President Clinton nor Mme. Albright, but a private citizen, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who made the overture. The Reverend risked his own life, as bombing did not stop during his negotiations. The former POWs were taken first to an Air Force base in Germany, and should now be on their way home.

5/1/99: PM: The march was great. Approximately 20,000 attendees in New York, and many more in sister cities on this day. There were arrests, and we'd like to hear about anyone who needs our help as a result. We'll pass the hat, and see if there is any other way to get you some legal help.

For more info about the march!
(Next year's will be on May 6th.)

5/1/99: AM: Join us TODAY south of Washington Square Park, at Thompson between 3rd and 4th Street. We will be marching down to Battery Park--should be there by 2PM. If you're in the city, come on over to show your support for us!


4/30/99: We have now been bombing Serbia and Kosovo for another month, and the war has still not been declared by Congress. In fact, Ron Paul (R-TX) and a group of senators are suing President Clinton for continuing the bloodshed. Follow the events, and see what you can do at the LPNY's Balkans Page.  While we bomb overseas, exacerbating a centuries-old conflict, a NYC cop was fired after talking about the Street Crimes Unit that murdered Amadou Diallo. Also, two high-school kids committing suicide took 12 classmates and a teacher with them. The news ain't always pretty, folks.

1999 LPNY Convention
The 1999 NY Convention Was Great!

Is it possible for a government that violates the rights of its own national minority peoples at home to pursue a policy of freedom and equality for national minority peoples on other continents?´ -- International Action Center (IAC) spokesperson Sara Flounders

3/26/99: We are in the second day of bombing in another war not declared by Congress. If Iraq was the first televised war, this will be the first war with full internet coverage. Follow what is happening on our special Balkans Page, which includes links to the censored B92 -- it's still streaming on the internet, though its radio transmitters have been taken away by the government.
3/25/99: The NY State legislature is trying to prevent junk e-mail! Granted, spammers do cause measurable damages in some cases, but we're not sure this is exactly the right legislation--one piece of spam is never worth $100 of damages, and aggravated spamming, especially when forged to appear to come from someone else, can be worth more than $15,000 of damages in spam retaliation and loss of goodwill. Consult our Legal Web for links to the full text of this and other recent internet bills, as well as cases that have already been won by spam victims. Also read how one Silicon Alley publication is reacting: Anti-Spam Legislation Served Up in New York: Is the Internet Industry Asleep at the Wheel?

3/22/99: If you were on our mailing lists this week, you'd have seen the following URLs: U-Net, a campus drug activism project, ASFAR, a young libertarians group, Statue-of-Liberty-Cam!, article 35 of the NY state education law, NY Jazz Festival... OK, the Jazz Fest link didn't come from the mailing list, but your editor thought you'd like it anyway. :=)

LPNY Mailing Lists
3/20/99: A Political Fair was held at Vassar College this weekend, and four LPNYers attended to talk to students. Don Silberger spoke to the students, and was loudly applauded. The results of the OPH showed a very liberal crowd, but the students were very receptive, and may turn out to be libertarian after all, after a few more economics courses! :-)

3/18/99: A report commissioned by U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey has found that marijuana's active components appear to have medicinal value (and that smoking it carries some risks, but sick users still benefit). No big surprise to libertarians, but this is GREAT news for our brothers and sisters being prosecuted for using this plant as a medicine. See the media coverage at ABC News, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, and the New York Times! The actual report may be found in its entirety, online, at the National Academy Press Website. (links will open in new window)

Charter Schools Seminar
3/13/99: Bill VanAllen coordinated a workshop on starting a Charter School for Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, Ulster Counties and internet-home-schoolers statewide. What happened...
3/12/99: Bruce Merbaum, Westchester libertarian, is going to hold a meeting Fri. Mar. 12 about freedom to swim in the Hudson River, from government-owned property. The meeting will be held at 11:30 AM at New Rochelle City Hall, 515 North Ave. It's an informal public meeting called by the assistant city mgr. 


Join the lpny_westchester mailing list to discuss Westchester issues
3/10/99: Federal judge rules author Peter McWilliams cannot use medical marijuana even to save his life! Even though Californians voted Prop 215 into law! Follow Peter McWilliam's story at his website, http://www.petertrial.com/

3/9/99: Westchester County: 
The public hearing on the proposed Human Rights Commission for Westchester County ended a few minutes after midnight. Views ranged from one bias to another, but three local Libertarians voiced their opinions on privately-funded organizations dispensing justice, in addition to legal aid.

3/8/99: The MMM planning meeting was a wonderful chance to network with other activists--there were attendees from England and Massachusetts, as well as seven LPNY'ers: Don S., John R., Jason G., John D., Mark K., Bonnie S., and John P. The major help we need next is suggestions for merchandising that we can pull together in the next few weeks to sell at pre-march fundraisers. But all other types of volunteering is needed as well: printing literature, writing letters, making phone calls.

3/2/99: This weekend! There is a Million Marijuana March planning meeting at 9 Bleecker Street, NYC. Please plan to spend as much time as you can helping us out and showing your support!

March 5:        5-7PM           Reception
March 6:        10AM-6PM        Planning Sessions
March 7:        11AM-6PM        Planning Sessions
Participate and show that LPNY supports legalization! (map and directions)
3/1/99: If you haven't yet written to the FDIC, it's even easier than ever! The Libertarian Party's site, Defend Your Privacy provides a simple online form with room for you to add your own statements about the "Know Your Customer" regulations. Deadline is March 8th!

2/19/99: Your editor's real life and real job have been interfering, otherwise you would have been told about Bob Schultz's new radio show before now—it started February 1st.

The radio talk show is broadcast from the studios of WROW 590AM in Albany, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Anyone can listen to the program over real audio, though, at Listen Between 3 and 6 PM!WROW Online, between 3 and 6 PM. Call up Bob on the air at 1-800-WROW-590!

When Bob's show isn't on, check out other libertarian radio in the area and on the internet.

1/22/99: Steve Kubby, the Libertarian candidate for Governor in California (1998), and his wife have been arrested for the use of medical marijuana... a substance they helped "legalize" through campaigning for CA Prop 215. They were released on their own recognizance a day later. Follow the case (courtesy of NewsIndex). The first press release has already been picked up by PR Newswire, and ran in the LA Times, the Sacremento Bee, and Fox News Online, among others. (outside links will open in new window)

State Committee Meeting 1/23/99 at the (Town of) Sloatsburg Rest Stop on Route 87 (N). agenda

WE WANT YOU to be a candidate in 1999... contact the LPNY c/o FreeNY to announce your libertarian candidacy in a village election. Candidate kits will be available soon—petitioning has already begun.

1/20/99: Do it online! Sometimes, the opportunities for activism come to you. Show your support for online causes this week--you're here, aren't you? :-)

Take 60 seconds to show your support for capitalism by signing (by January 25th) the petition to stop the persecution of Microsoft
Read about Ron Paul's proposed bills opposing Know Your Customer, then send in your complaints about this antecentennial assault on privacy in banking. Sample letters and the e-mail addresses you'll need are provided. (Yes, they've noticed the e-mail already--keep it coming!)
Donate YOUR unused CPU cycles! Help LPVT's Hardy Macia and the Libertarians for Privacy in proving that current government limits on encryption are too weak and will hurt America in the global electronic marketplace. Join the winning team!
Also, CDA II Goes to Court. Declan McCullugh of Wired is quickly becoming our favorite columnist for giving Wired a Libertarian viewpoint on technology issues.
1/15/99: Read about the new "Know Your Customer" regulations in the newest section of the LPNY Web site: the LPNY Legal Web. Send in your comments to the FDIC and FRB by March 25th if you don't want Big Brother keeping records about what your normal banking habits are. An editor is needed for this section... please let us know if you are interested.

1/8/99: This weekend: planning meetings for the May 1st Million Marijuana March for medical marijuana. An international crowd will be meeting at Calyx Internet, at 13 Laight Street in New York City. Stop by before the end of the meetings Sunday! For more details, and info about the sessions in progress, please see our highlights page.

1/3/99: Join the Queens Chapter of the LPNY in a hosted chat on Thursday Night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the LPQC Chat Room. Tripod ID/passwd required--Tripod membership is free, but it takes a few minutes to set up.