Talking Points
Survey Says: The Public and their Privacy
· In May 2004, 52% of Americans are concerned about loosing their civil liberties as a result of recent measures enacted by the Bush administration to fight terrorism- compared to one year after 9/11 when 7% of Americans felt they had given up important liberties in the war on terror. (“Patriot Act Besieged,” Nat Henroff 5/28/04)
The Patriot Act is Bad:
· By May, 311 towns and cities (including the state legislatures of
· The number of secret surveillance warrants requested by the FBI has increased by 85% in the last three years – a pace faster than the Justice Department’s ability to process them. (“Patriot Act Besieged,” Nat Henroff 5/28/04)
Bio Terrorism and Threat of Nukes
· Recent studies warn our warning systems are in a shambles and our ports are still penetrable.
- Scientists racing to discover “cures” for future biological attacks spent over $14 billion in the last four years – $50 per person in the U.S. – making new generations of pathogens never seen before and increasing the number of places and people involved in germ experiments to over 11,000 employees in 317 locations across the country.
- The Bioterrrorism Act of 2002 prevents citizens from determining what research is being conducted in their neighborhoods by requiring the locations of labs handling lethal pathogens like live anthrax, plague and botulism, be kept secret.
· The 2004 military budget grants $21 million for research on 2 types of new nuclear weapons including an earth penetrator and so called “mini-nukes.” These bombs are being built at labs in
Physicians for Social Responsibility Talking Points Sheets
q Chemical Weapons: How to Reduce the Danger http://www.psr.org/documents/psr_doc_0/program_4/chemfact.pdf
q Biological Weapons: How to Respond to the Threat http://www.psr.org/documents/psr_doc_0/program_4/biofact.pdf
q Meeting the Nuclear Threat: A new Direction for
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