In Washington, a House-Senate conference committee on a homeland security bill is considering whether to include a measure to protect from lawsuit Americans who report suspicious behavior. The so-called “John Doe” measure comes in response to a lawsuit by six imams who were booted from a plane that was about to fly from Minneapolis late last year because they were acting very suspiciously.
The imams plan to sue not only the airline but the passengers who reported their behavior — a step that, if successful, could have a chilling effect on whether other Americans come forward to report such behavior. Without this protection, Americans would have no reason to follow the motto of law enforcement agencies: “If you see something, say something.”
The “John Doe” legislation passed both the House and Senate by overwhelming margins. But key Democrats are trying to drop it from the homeland security bill, which would kill it. The conference committee is meeting and will make a final decision on this vital legislation in the coming days.
If you agree Americans should be encouraged to report suspicious behavior, now is the time to act. Call or e-mail your own Senator and your House member. You can find their contact information at http://www.congress.org – just enter your zip code. Tell them to insist that the conference committee include “John Doe” protection in this bill.
And after calling or e-mailing your own Senator and House member, contact Congressman Thompson and Senator Leahy. Also contact House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin.
We must not be intimidated into silence. In the war on terror, there’s too much at stake for all of us.
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