Volunteering for The Caucus

I volunteer for, and am a member of The Caucus. It is the oldest organization of its kind in the south. The purpose of The Caucus a.k.a HGLBT PAC is to promote the civil rights of the GLBT community (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Trans-gender.)

The Caucus

There are many things that The Caucus does to promote the civil rights of the GLBT community. We screen candidates using a questionnaire, endorse candidates that are sympathetic to our rights, work to ensure that voters are registered. And, finally, we work on behalf of candidates to help them get elected.

Our Rights

Our rights, in the GLBT community, and the rights of everyone really are under siege. As two examples I will use Habeas Corpus, and FISA. These relate to the right to not be imprisoned without due process, and, be secure in our letters and effects. While FISA was an existing law in the US that provided some compromises to our right to privacy, Habeas Corpus dates back to the 13th century, and, an English king.

Habeas Corpus became part of Common law which is a tradition upon which our nation's laws are based. FISA dates to the 1970s, and, provided that the President could spy on us only under certain circumstances. He had to get the permission of a judge, sometimes after the fact. Habeas established a very broad right. FISA compromised the right to privacy, but, maintained that the President could not spy on anyone and everyone at will.

Both Habeas Corpus and our right to privacy have been severely infringed upon under the Bush Administration. Although, there has been a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Habeas Corpus that may have re-established it. The fact that the Bush Administration has been spending seven years skating on the edge should bring comfort to no one.

The authors of the U.S. Constitution recognized that the powerful tended to aggrandize power unto themselves and provided for a separation of powers, checks and balances, to counteract this fact.

GLBT Rights

If the government can take away the rights of a certain group, for example the GLBT communities' rights, can they take away the rights of anyone? What about the right to marry someone of a different race? Did we always have that right?

If we do not stand up for each others rights, soon, we will have no rights of our own. Help organizations like The Caucus and strengthen all our rights. We are in the same boat. If we crash upon the rocks we are all sunk.

Terms:

Habeas Corpus: Can be thought of as "Show me the body." It keeps the powerful from locking people away indefinitely without legal proceedings. Dating from the 13th century, this is how you challenge your own imprisonment.

The Caucus address for volunteering: 1915 Commonwealth at Welch, Suite 104

FISA: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Outlines under what circumstances our phones may be tapped.

Flag Image: From Wikipedia.

GPO Access -An annotated text of the US Constitution

http://www.motherjones.com/toc/2008/09/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_carta