Sample Letter/Petition 1/13/92
John Q. Public
P.O. Box 27217
Washington, D.C. 20038
(202) 462-0757
January 10, 1992
Michael Espy
Presidential Transition Team
1120 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Dear Mr. Espy,
Congratulations on your new position. I am praying that you will
use your increased power with wisdom, because only wisdom will
contribute to a more perfect union.
You will probably agree that without freedom to assemble,
"freedom
of thought" and "freedom of speech" -- the true keystones of any
democracy --become nothing more than hollow, meaningless phrases.
A lot of people who voted for President Clinton believe that
Reagan/Bush policy promoted the regulatory suppression of free
thought and expression, and left this country a greatly
diminished
First Amendment. They hope this administration will have the
wisdom to reverse that trend of regulatory abuse.
For much of the past seven years the National Forest Service, one
of the agencies within Agriculture, has repeatedly (albeit, thank
God, unsuccessfully) attempted to implement a regulatory scheme
which would, in any real terms, eliminate the right of the
American
people to freely assemble on "public lands." United States v.
Israel, No. Cr-86-027- TUC-RMB (May 10, 1986; 53 Fed. Reg. 16548
(May 10, 1988), amending 36 C.F.R. Sec. 251.50 et seq, (1987);
United States v. The Rainbow Family, 694 F. Supp. 294, (June 1,
1989, J. Justice, USED Tex. CA No. L-88-68); 55 Fed. Reg. 8498
(March 8, 1990), and related draft of proposed amendment to 36
CFR
251 submitted to OMB (February 22, 1990).
Now, it appears, NFS has somehow managed to obtain an exemption
from President Bush's current moratorium on regulations, and
plans
to submit (before January 20th) for OMB's approval, yet another
regulatory attempt to subvert the First Amendment as it presently
applies to peaceable assembly on public lands.
I like to think that the departing administration is just trying
to
slip another fast one by the American public before the new
administration even knows what's going on. You have an
opportunity
to nip this affront to democracy in the bud, and reverse the
authoritarian inclinations of the preceding administration.
If my information proves correct, and NFS actually publishes a
rule
to restrict public assembly on public lands, please have them
recind the publication as soon as you are able.
Sincerely, in service to the Creator of life,
OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED FOREST SERVICE REGULATIONS
INTENDED TO RESTRICT THE RIGHTS OF
ASSEMBLY, WORSHIP, AND SPEECH ON PUBLIC LANDS
Courts have long held that the First Amendment protects the
freedoms
of thought/belief, worship/expression, and peaceable assembly for
those
purposes against government suppression. It has been judicially
held
that a "plethora of regulations" exist to address just about any
conceivable legitimate interest that may arise with regard to
group use
of public lands under Forest Service stewardship. E.g., U.S. v.
Rainbow
Family, 694 F. Supp. 294 (S.D. Texas, June 1, 1989).
For these reasons I respectfully but emphatically oppose the
proposed U.S. Forest Service regulatory amendments to 36 CFR
Sections
251, et. seq. which would:
1) require an "authorization" for peaceable assembly on
public
land,
2) require posting of a damage deposit before citizens of a
democracy could meet harmlessly in the public wilderness.
3) require insurance policies before using public lands as
a
meeting site for religious, political, or social gatherings,
4) restrict the dissemination of literature.
PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY
NAME ADDRESS
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PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED PETITIONS TO:
Rainbow Legaliaison/DC
P. O. Box 27217 ** Washington, D.C. 20038
(Telephone number 301-565-5276)
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
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