Program on the Patriot Act will highlight Constitution Day at Saint Martin’s

Sept. 9, 2005

Lacey – Saint Martin’s University will present “Beyond the Patriot Act,” a program to call attention to Constitution Day, at noon Friday, Sept. 16. The public is invited to the free hour-long program, which will be in Old Main 401 on the university campus, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE in Lacey.

The program will feature a half-hour video produced by the American Civil Liberties Union. The act was enacted by Congress in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks and gave government agencies new powers to fight terrorist activities.

The constitutionality of some provisions of the act has caused it to remain highly controversial. The ACLU video includes interviews with actual clients and their attorneys who have dealt with issues raised by the Patriot Act. The video will be followed by a discussion of the Patriot Act and its relationship to Constitutional rights.

“The Patriot Act touches upon some fundamental constitutional rights that should be of interest to all Americans,” said Shawn Newman, an adjunct professor of business and economics and local attorney who will lead the discussion.

The annual observance of Constitution Day on Sept. 17 was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2004.

Shawn Newman
Adjunct professor, business and economics
snewman@stmartin.edu

Deanna Partlow
Media relations coordinator
360-438-4541; dpartlow@stmartin.edu