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�� Human Rights Commission Minutes March 8, 2005 Present: Thelma McKenzie, Steve Smith Karen Vnuk, Lairy Voeller Absent: Phillip Crump, Janet Delmore Staff• Carolyn Curti Forum on the Pafriot Act Chair Thelma McKerazie called fhe rneeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and asked Louisa Hext and Isaac Kanfman to introduce thert�selves. Kaufrnan volunteers for the Minnesota Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC) and Hext works £or Jewish Cornmunity Actifln (JCA). 'i'hey helped organize a recent Patriot Act Forum in St. Louis Park aa�d are inierested in helping the Human Rights Cornrnission to sponsor a forum in Roseville. Hext said the JCA is a grassroots organization that works on iinmigrant issues. They mobilize around an issue, raise awareness and work to impact pubiic policy. Both arganizations have strong concerns about the Patriot Act infringing on basic rights. They believe the Patriot Act requires local law enforccment to do the work of the federal government and cities to do the work of the US Citizen and I��nmigration Services. They see this forum as an opporiunity to educate Roseville residents about the Bill of Rights. Kau�man said the BORDC is a siatewide grassroots organization worlang to get a resolution passed at ihe Legislature to affirm civil Iiberties. He said the Patriot Act is up for renewal this year, and his organization hopes to pressure Congress to rethink somc of the Patriot Act ttzat infringes on basic rights. The two organizations hopc to change public policy around ihe Patriot Act. They want to accomplish this by raising awareness about how certain part of the Patriot Act infri�ges on civil rights. They believe the forum is a good way to do this. They would then ask the Roseville Human IZights Commission an.d Roseville citirens if they agree with their premise, and if so, what they could do about it. Finally, if the citizens and Co�tnmission agree, ask the Ciiy Council to pass a resolution asking for changes in the Patriot Act anci/or clarify that City employees will not engage in actions that should be carried out by the federal governmeni, such as the Police asking t�vl�ether someone is an American citizen. Commissioners discussed whether it would be better to have a forum or a debate about the Patriot Act. They agreed that a forum would be better way to raise issues. Commissioners agrced thai thcy wanted panelists who could talk about the Patriot Act and about the Bill of