Seattle and Bellevue Part of "Local Voices," National Discussion on Civil Liberties

As one of ten LWV organizations selected nationally, the Seattle League of Women Voters will host two community-wide, nonpartisan discussion groups that ask the question, How do civil liberties and homeland security affect you?" Comments will be compiled into a report that the League will send to Congress and community officials. Through Local Voices, the Puget Sound community will be helping to shape the discussion of this topic both locally and nationally.

(PRWEB) June 1, 2005 -- The League of Women Voters of Seattle (LWVS) invites the Seattle and Eastside communities to Local Voices: Conversations on Civil Liberties and Homeland Security.

As one of ten LWV organizations selected nationally, the Seattle League will host two community-wide, nonpartisan discussion groups that ask the question, How do civil liberties and homeland security affect you?"

People want to talk about civil liberties and secure communities, and Local Voices provides them with an arena for this discussion," said Nancy Eitreim, president. We invite broad public participation in these forums -- diverse voices on this subject need to be heard.

The LWVS hopes to increase understanding of how these issues are handled at the local level, and to encourage members of the public to learn how to interact with local government in regard to these topics.

Through Local Voices, the Puget Sound community will be helping to shape the discussion of this topic both locally and nationally."

The League is hosting two Local Voices community summits in the Puget Sound region:

1. Seattle -- Town Hall
Saturday, June 4
11:30 am -- 4:30 pm
Town Hall (Eighth and Seneca)

2. Eastside - BCC
Sunday, June 5
1 pm -- 6 pm
Bellevue Community College
3000 Landerholm Circle SE
Room N201

A third event, a panel discussion on civil liberties which will include an overview of the PATRIOT Act and its impact on immigrants and privacy issues, will be held Thursday, June 2 at 7:30 pm at Islander Middle School on Mercer Island. The panel will include Chris Vance, Chairman, Washington State Republican Party; Paul Lawrence, ACLU National Board Member; Vicky Dobrin, Attorney, Dobrin & Han; and Phil Bevis of Arundel Books.

# # #