The Jefferson Area Libertarians, the Liberty Coalition, the Jefferson Leadership Foundation and the Individual Rights Coalition held a celebration of the Bill of Rights on the steps of the Rotunda of UVa.

After leading celebrants in a reading of the Bill of Rights, Steve Dasbach and James Lark made remarks. Steve Dasbach is managing the campaign by talk show host Gary Nolan to become the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate in 2004. James Lark is secretary to the Jefferson Area Libertarians.

Here is what Gary Nolan has to say about Civil Liberties and the War on Terror:

The War on Terror has turned into a war on the individual civil liberties of the American people.

Restricting civil liberties are the tactics of the opponents of human liberty, human rights and the individual's rights as expressed specifically in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. These tactics are undermining our national security instead of enhancing it; they have no place in a free society.

I propose an immediate restoration of our full civil liberties as a key component of enhancing our national security. Misguided laws like the American Patriot Act should be repealed.

Drug Prohibition has created a gigantic black market, empowering criminal gangs that terrorize our cities and funding terrorist organizations like Al Qaida. It's time to repeal federal drug laws, enabling the people of each state and community to choose alternatives to this failed policy.

In a truly free society, neighbors watch out for neighbors. They don't resort to profiling based on stereotypes, they don't feel trapped and unable to travel. They work together in a positive way to keep their own communities safe. This is the America we deserve.

Note: Compare this with the recent Legal Discussion of the Patriot Act and Liberties.

Then please send your thoughts to george@loper.org where the most representative comments will be placed on my web site with full attribution.