Events
Upcoming Events
September 11, 2010: Common Folk: The Voices of a Movement
Washington, DC
8:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Bus Boys and Poets
Common Folk: The Voices of a Movement is a three-part concert series exploring and creating a new conversation on the topics of Health, Environment, and Immigration. This third event in the series will be focused on the community conscious open mic. Headlining will be The Cornel West Theory, as well as guest speaker Shahid Buttar, executive director of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee.
Recent Events
August 16, 2010: Hartford City Council Meeting
Hartford, CT
City Hall Council Chambers, 7:00 p.m.
On August 9, Hartford City Councilor Luis Cotto introduced groundbreaking legislation to restore civil rights and liberties in Connecticut’s capital. With the support of a diverse local coalition, Cotto’s bill—based on proposed reforms developed by BORDC to stop local police from participating in racial profiling, federal immigration enforcement, and domestic surveillance—is the first of its kind.
Supporters of the bill, including BORDC's Shahid Buttar and Emma Roderick, gathered at the City Council meeting at which the legislation will be discussed.
July 29, 2010: Community Forum on Arizona's SB1070
Northampton, MA
6:00 p.m. at First Churches
Northampton community organizers held a public forum on July 29 at 6:00 p.m. at First Churches titled “Should we boycott Arizona? Next steps for our community.” In conjunction with American Friends Service Committee, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Northampton Human Rights Commission and the Immigration and Workers Rights Coalition, the organizers planned this forum to provide a space to both inform the community of the issues involved with the Arizona law SB1070 as well as encourage diverse voices from the community to discuss the issues and the impact they may have for the Northampton community.
July 24, 2010: National Peace Conference
Albany, NY
10:15 a.m. at Crowne Plaza Hotel
BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar presented a workshop called "War, Militarization, and the Assault on Civil Liberties and Communities of Color."
June 25, 2010: Accountability Now—Ending Torture Forever
Washington, DC
6:00 p.m. at National City Christian Church
A diverse panel of experts, including Sr. Diana Ortiz, Matthew Alexander, David Cole, Dr. Sondra Crosby, and Jim Winkler joined in conversation with 50 torture survivors from around the world brought together by TASSC International to mark the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (June 26).
Event co-sponsors included National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Amnesty International USA, Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition, Physicians for Human Rights, Alliance for Justice, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Human Rights First, Pax Christi USA, War Criminals Watch, and Friends Committee on National Legislation.
June 23, 2010: Racial Profiling: It's Time to Face the Truth
Detroit, MI
1:00 - 5:30 p.m. at the US Social Forum
This workshop worked toward resolving differences between traditionally separated groups facing varying forms of profiling, illuminating legislative and administrative goals of major racial profiling actions, and setting the stage for the next steps forward for action between groups and individuals. Followed by a film screening and panel discussion.
June 23, 2010: Tools to Fight the Surveillance State
Detroit, MI
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the US Social Forum
Participants in the workshop learned about current domestic surveillance programs and gain concrete skills and tools to fight the surveillance state. The panel presentation included an original performance by hip-hop artist (and BORDC executive director) Shahid Buttar. The second half will focus on strategies to restore our civil liberties, including passing local ordinances limiting law enforcement agencies, and using the Freedom of Information Act to uncover unconstitutional surveillance and infiltration. Participants will learn how to pass local legislation (model ordinance and toolkit will be provided), and how to file FOIA requests (and have the opportunity to prepare requests during the workshop).
June 15, 2010: Activism and Social Networking: Advocating for Privacy
San Jose, CA
1:15 p.m. at the 20th Annual Computers, Freedom, and Privacy Conference
BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar joined Get FISA Right's Harry Waisbren and intellectual property attorney Christina Gagnier for a panel discussion about how activists can use social networks to advocate for privacy.
June 7, 2010: Blueprint for Accountability
New York, NY
7:30 p.m. at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
In a bold new hybrid of investigative journalism and theater, Blueprint for Accountability brings together the world’s leading experts in politics and journalism with the most visionary artists of our time to create an architectural plan for restoring accountability into our culture.
June 5, 2010: Bridge-building Workshop for UU, Arab, Muslim, and South Asian Activists
Pasadena, CA
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the New Horizon School, 651 N. Orange Grove Boulevard
Since 2001, civil liberties in this country have been eroded in the name of national security. While we have suffered this loss collectively, Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians have been singled out for more scrutiny, facing invasive interrogation practices, racial and religious profiling, invasion of privacy, and restrictions on due process rights.
How have communities in Southern California been affected? And how can Unitarian Universalist, Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities come together as allies to create a more just and supportive society? Join us to discuss these questions and more in a day-long bridge-building workshop with the Neighborhood UU Church of Pasadena, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), local and national interfaith, civil-liberties, and human-rights activists, and your fellow UU, Arab, South Asian, and Muslim-American community members.
BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar spoke at the event.
May 20, 2010: From Arizona to DC: Immigrant Rights are Civil Rights
Washington, DC
7:00 p.m. at All Souls Church
A community forum on the fight for reform and legalization at All Souls Church (corner of 16th St and Harvard St NW; Columbia Heights is the closest Metro stop).
Panelists Gustavo Andrade (CASA de Maryland), Linda Leaks (Empower DC), Ronal Mayorga (International Socialist Organization), Wendy Ramirez (Equal Rights Center), and host Dave Zirin (edgeofsports.com) will discuss the continuing fight for the rights and dignity of immigrant communities after the passage of and passionate opposition to Arizona 's latest anti-immigrant law, SB 1070. Speakers will discuss the local immigrant struggle in Washington, DC, against the Secure Communities Initiative and the fight for a city council bill to add DC to the list of cities boycotting Arizona until it repeals SB 1070. Come and share your insights, outrage, and ideas with fellow activists to beat back anti-immigrant attacks here in the DC metro area!
The event is sponsored by All Souls Church, Busboys and Poets, CASA de Maryland, International Socialist Organization (ISO), Jobs with Justice, and Washington Peace Center, and endorsed by Africa Action, the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, the Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, CISPES, DC51, Empower DC, The Progressive, National Day Laborers Organizing Network.
May 16, 2010: Civil Rights and the Political Process
Toledo, OH
4:00 p.m. at the University of Toledo Law School Auditorium
The United Muslim Association of Toledo presented a lecture by BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar.
May 12, 2010: Commitment to Charitable Giving: One Year After Obama's Cairo Speech
Washington, DC
12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. at 110 Maryland Avenue NE (across the street from the Supreme Court)
A panel discussion with the following participants:
- Sahar Aziz, Law Office of Sahar Aziz/Bill of Rights Defense Committee
- Marcus S. Owens, Caplin & Drysdale
- Stephen I. Vladeck, American University Washington College of Law
- Ellen D. Willmott, Save the Children USA
May 4, 2010: Civil Rights Forum
Rockville, MD
6:30 - 9:00 p.m. at the Executive Office Buiding Lobby Level Auditorium
Montgomery County’s Office of Human Rights, Commission on Hate/Violence, and the Commission on Human Rights sponsored a panel discussion on civil rights issues. The discussion centered around civil rights in a post-9/11 world. Communities across the nation, including Montgomery County, have had to address post-9/11 hate and bias incidents and their potential effect on the civil rights of several groups, including Muslims, Arabs, South Asians and Sikhs. The panel discussion shared information on ongoing civil rights concerns in the ensuing years, and explored ways government and advocacy organizations can respond.
The discussion was moderated by George Washington University Law School Professor Robert W. Tuttle and included Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Mazen Basrawi; Sikh Coalition Director of Law and Policy Rajdeep Singh Jolly; Counsel for the Bill of Rights Defense Committee Sahar Aziz; and South Asian Americans Leading Together Executive Director Deepa Iyer.
April 28, 2010: The Most Dangerous Man in America
Northampton, MA
7:15 p.m. at the Pleasant Street Theatre
After a screening of the Oscar®-nominated documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee hosted a discussion of the film and its parallels to current civil liberties issues.
April 22, 2010: 1984 in 2010: Threats to the Rule of Law—And How You Can Defend It
Ithaca, NY
6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall, Cornell University
This event featured a discussion with Shahid Buttar, executive director of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee.
April 21, 2010: Bodyscanners and Beyond: Preserving Privacy in a Transparent World
Stanford, CA
12:45-2:00 p.m. at Stanford Law School, Room 280B
Chip Pitts, president of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee's board of directors, an advisory board member of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and a lecturer at Stanford Law School, spoke about privacy and technology. Watch video of the event.
April 12, 2010: 1984 in 2010: Threats to the Rule of Law—and How You Can Defend It
Amherst, MA
8:00 p.m. at the Paino Lecture Hall, Earth Science Building, Amherst College
BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar gave a lecture on the rule of law, followed by a question-and-answer period on the threats the "war on terror" poses to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The event is sponsored by the Amherst College Bill of Rights Society.
April 12, 2010: Privacy and Technology: Protecting Autonomy in a Transparent World
Dallas, TX
10:30 a.m to 12:00 noon at the UTD Conference Center Auditorium
Chip Pitts, president of BORDC's board of directors, spoke about privacy in a world of technology and social networking. More info.
April 8, 2010: Rule of Law, Misrule of Men with Elaine Scarry
Cambridge, MA
7:00 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store
Author and professor Elaine Scarry discussed her new book, Rule of Law, Misrule of Men, which highlights BORDC's anti-PATRIOT Act resolution efforts and calls for investigation and prosecution of Bush administration abuses. More info.
April 2, 2010: University of DC Justice Cafe
Washington, DC
6:00-10:00 p.m. at the Firebird Inn
A discussion, "The Constitution and Rights at Risk," with BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar and ACLU National Capital Area Director Johnny Barnes, followed by music from local performers, including Shahid Buttar. More info.
March 29, 2010: Torture, Surveillance, and Continuing Threats to the Rule of Law
Cleveland, OH
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at Case Western Reserve School of Law
A discussion with BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar, sponsored by Law Students for Social Justice
March 28, 2010: CAIR-Ohio Cleveland Chapter 8th Annual Civil Rights Banquet
Westlake, OH
4:00-7:00 p.m. at LaCentre
Keynote addresses by BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar and MAS Freedom Executive Director Imam Mahdi Bray.
March 27, 2010: Dangerous Inheritance: The Ongoing Criminalization of Dissent in America
Chicago, IL
9:45-11:15 a.m. at DePaul University College of Law
BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar spoke at a panel discussion at the National Lawyers Guild Midwest Regional Conference.
March 25, 2010: Fusion Center Discussion
Roxbury, MA
6:00–8:30 p.m. at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center
A panel discussion on fusion centers and privacy and civil liberties featuring:
- Mike German (Policy Counsel, Washington Legislative Office, American Civil Liberties Union ACLU)
- Carol Rose (Executive Director, ACLU of Massachusetts)
- David Gersten (Acting Deputy Officer for Programs and Compliance, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, US Department of Homeland Security)
- Juliette Kayyem (Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of Homeland Security)
Sponsored by the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, the Muslim American Society of Boston, the Department of Homeland Security, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Arab-American Institute.
March 16, 2010, 2010: US Torture and Accountability
Washington, DC
6:45–8:45 p.m. at the Institute for Policy Studies
A panel discussion on torture and accountability featuring:
- Shahid Buttar, executive director of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee
- Matthew Alexander, author, New York Times contributor, and Air Force veteran whose military interrogation team located Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq
- Jesselyn Radack, homeland security director of the Government Accountability Project and a former Department of Justice ethics official and whistleblower
March 13, 2010, 2010: Crosspollinate Speaker Series, The Artistic Response
Jackson, MS
8:00–11:00 p.m. at the North Midtown Arts Center
Spoken word, music, and live DJs.
March 12, 2010, 2010: Crosspollinate Speaker Series, The Intellectual Argument
Jackson, MS
5:30–8:00 p.m. at the Jackson Community Design Center
A lecture by BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar, "Holding Accountable Those Who Keep Us Safe."
February 28, 2010: Night of 1,000 Conversations
Northampton, MA
6:00–9:00 p.m.
A discussion about racial profiling sponsored by the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and including activists from Justice for Jason and the Prison Policy Initiative.
February 28, 2010: Night of 1,000 Conversations
Dallas, TX
6:30 p.m. at La Madeleine
A discussion about racial profiling sponsored by the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, the Dallas Peace Center, the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Muslim Legal Fund of America, and supporters of Ron Paul’s Libertarian Revolution.
February 27, 2010: Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Washington, DC
Georgetown University Law Center
Shahid Buttar spoke at the 12th Annual North American South Asian Law Students Association (NASALSA) Conference.
February 19, 2010: Making Your Government Work for You
Ancramdale, NY
Woodhull Retreat Center
Shahid Buttar gave a workshop to activists attending the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership's Democracy 911 Retreat.
February 16, 2010: Our Moment: RFK and Our Shared Civil Rights Legacy
Northampton, MA
7:00 p.m. at First Churches
Shahid Buttar was a featured speaker at a community forum sponsored by the UMass Fine Arts Center.
January 23, 2010: Listen to the Silence
Palo Alto, CA
Stanford University
Shahid Buttar gave a keynote addressat the 14th Annual Asian American Issues Conference.
January 23, 2010: Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights
Washington, DC
11:15 a.m.
Chip Pitts moderated a panel discussion with Chris Calabrese (ACLU), Wendy Weiser (Brennan Center for Justice), John Verdi (EPIC), Marc Rosenblum (Immigration Policy Center), and Roger Gordon (Liberty Coalition) at the Privacy Coalition Annual Meeting.
January 15, 2010: Disorientation
San Francisco, CA
University of Callifornia Hastings College of Law
Shahid Buttar gave a workshop to the University of California Hastings College of the Law National Lawyers Guild Chapter.
Chip Pitts, “The Patriot Act, Warrantless Surveillance, Detention, & Beyond,” Stanford Law School, November 19, 2009
Shahid Buttar, discussion panel and community forum with leaderships of New York area mosques and FBI New York Field Office, October 23, 2009
Chip Pitts, keynote address, World Justice Project Texas Rule of Law Conference, October 20, 2009
Shahid Buttar, discussion panel and workshop, American University's 6th Annual Public Anthropology Conference, "Advancing Social Justice in Times of Crisis", October 9-10, 2009
Chip Pitts, "The Obama Administration Privacy Score Card" discussion panel at the National Press Club organized by the Privacy Coalition, September 9, 2009
Shahid Buttar, Velvet Revolution press conference on disbarring the torture lawyers, National Press Club, June 29, 2009
Shahid Buttar, "The New Threat to the Constitution: Domestic Intelligence Collection," Community Church of Boston, May 17, 2009
Shahid Buttar, "The Faces of Discrimination and Profiling: Emerging Issues and Responses," South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) South Asian Summit 2009, April 25, 2009
- Panel with Raj Datta, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Vanita Gupta, American Civil Liberties Union; and Mo Razvi, Council for Peoples' Organization
Chip Pitts, "Re-Shaping the Human Rights Agenda: Opportunities in the New Administration," American Bar Association's Spring 2009 meeting, April 15, 2009
- Panel with Jeffrey L. Bleich, Special Counsel to the President in the White House; Santiago Canton, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; William Davis, U.N. Information Centre; and Karen Stewart, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State
Shahid Buttar, Berkeley Law School lecture, March 18, 2009
Shahid Buttar, University of Southern California's American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute commencement address, March 2009