In article <1993Apr5.200623.15140@dsd.es.com>, Bob.Waldrop@f418.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Bob Waldrop) writes: >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- > Announcing. . . Announcing. . . Announcing. . . Announcing >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- > >                     PUBLIC HEARINGS > >                on the compliance by the  > >                UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT > >          and the governments of the states of > >         FLORIDA, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, >         WEST VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, INDIANA, >          MARYLAND, OKLAHOMA, NEVADA, WYOMING, >                   GEORGIA, AND MAINE > >      with Certain International Agreements Signed >     by the United States Government, in particular, > >           THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL >                  AND POLITICAL RIGHTS >                 (signed 5 October 1977) > >                         and the > >        DOCUMENT OF THE COPENHAGEN MEETING OF THE >        CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF THE >         CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION >                        IN EUROPE >                       (June 1990) > >                 A Democracy Project of > >                   CELEBRATE LIBERTY! >        THE 1993 LIBERTARIAN NATIONAL CONVENTION >                   AND POLITICAL EXPO > >                     Sept. 2-5, 1993 >              Salt Palace Convention Center >                     Marriott Hotel >                  Salt Lake City, Utah > >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- >                             >These hearings will investigate charges that the governments >referenced above routinely violate the political and >democratic rights of political minority parties.  Persons >interested in testifying at these hearings, or in submitting >written or documentary evidence, should contact: > >                       Bob Waldrop >                     P.O. Box 526175 >                Salt Lake City, UT  84152 >                     (801)-582-3318 >          Bob.Waldrop@f418.n104.z1.fidonet.org > >Examples of possible information of interest includes >evidence and testimony regarding:  > >(1)   Unfair or unequal treatment of political minorities; > >(2)   Physical assaults on volunteers, candidates, or >      members of minority parties; > >(3)   Arrests of minority party petitioners, candidates, or >      members while engaged in political activity; > >(4)   Structural barriers to organizing third parties and/or >      running for office as anything other than a Democrat >      or Republican (e.g. signature totals required for >      petitions to put new parties and candidates on ballots, >      requirements for third parties that Democrats and >      Republicans are not required to meet, etc.); > >(5)   Taxpayer subsidies of Democratic and Republican >      candidates that are denied or not available to third >      parties; > >(6)   Fraudulent or non-reporting of minority party vote >      totals (e.g. stating totals for Democratic and >      Republican party candidates as equal to 100% of the >      vote); > >(7)   Refusals by state legislatures, governors, and courts to >      hear petitions for redress of grievances from third >      parties, and/or unfavorable rulings/laws >      discriminating against third parties; > >(8)   Refusal to allow registration as a member of a third >      party when registering to vote (in states where >      partisan voter registration is optional or required); > >(9)   Vote fraud, stuffing ballot boxes, losing ballots, fixing >      elections, threatening candidates, ballot printing errors; >      machine voting irregularities, dishonest/corrupt >      election officials, refusal to register third party voters >      or allow filing by third party candidates; failure to >      print third party registration options on official voter >      registration documents; intimidation of third party >      voters and/or candidates; and/or any other criminal >      acts by local, county, state or federal election officials; > >(10)  Exclusion of third party candidates from debate >      forums sponsored by public schools, state colleges and >      universities, and governments (including events >      carried on television and radio stations owned and/or >      subsidized by governments; > >(11)  Any other information relevant to the topic. > >Information is solicited about incidents relating to all non- >Democratic and non-Republican political parties, such as >Libertarian, New Alliance, Socialist Workers Party, Natural >Law Party, Taxpayers, Populist, Consumer, Green, American, >Communist, etc., as well as independent candidates such as >John Anderson, Ross Perot, Eugene McCarthy, Barry >Commoner, etc. > > >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- > >Representatives of the governments referenced above will be >invited to respond to any allegations. > >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- > > >        RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE DOCUMENT OF THE >          COPENHAGEN MEETING REFERENCED ABOVE: > >"(The participating States) recognize that pluralistic >democracy and the rule of law are essential for ensuring >respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms. . . >They therefore welcome the commitment expressed by all >participating States to the ideals of democracy and political >pluralism. . . The participating States express their conviction >that full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms >and the development of societies based on pluralistic >democracy. . . are prerequisites for progress in setting up the >lasting order of peace, security, justice, and co-operation. . . >They therefore reaffirm their commitment to implement fully >all provisions of the Final Act and of the other CSCE >documents relating to the human dimension. . . In order to >strengthen respect for, and enjoyment of, human rights and >fundamental freedoms, to develop human contacts and to >resolve issues of a related humanitarian character, the >participating States agree on the following. . . > >"(2). . . They consider that the rule of law does not mean >merely a formal legality which assures regularity and >consistency in the achievement and enforcement of >democratic order, but justice based on the recognition and >full acceptance of the supreme value of the human >personality and guaranteed by institutions providing a >framework for its fullest expression." >       >"(3)  They reaffirm that democracy is an inherent element of >the rule of law.  They recognize the importance of pluralism >with regard to political organizations." > >"(4)  They confirm that they will respect each other's right >freely to choose and develop, in accordance with >international human rights standards, their political, social, >economic and cultural systems.  In exercising this right, they >will ensure that their laws, regulations, practices, and policies >conform with their obligations under international law and >are brought into harmony with the provisions of the >Declaration on Principles and other CSCE commitments." > >"(5)  They solemnly declare that among those elements of >justice which are essential to the full expression of the >inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all >human beings are the following. . ." > >". . . (5.4) -- a clear separation between the State and political >parties; in particular, political parties will not be merged with >the state. . ." > >". . . (7)  To ensure that the will of the people serves as >the basis of the authority of government, the participating >states will. . ." > >"(7.4) -- ensure . . . that (votes) are counted and reported >honestly with the official results made public;" > >"(7.5) -- respect the right of citizens to seek political or public >office, individually or as representatives of political parties or >organizations, without discrimination." > > >                RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE >        INTERNATIONAL COVENANT OF 5 OCTOBER 1977 >                    REFERENCED ABOVE > >The States Parties to the present Covenant. . . Recognizing >that. . . the ideal of free human beings enjoying civil and >political freedom and freedom from fear and want can only >be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may >enjoy his civil and political rights, as well as his economic, >social, and cultural rights, Considering the obligation of >States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote >universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and >freedoms. . . Agree upon the following articles. . . > >Article 2.  (1) Each State Party to the present Covenant >undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within >its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights >recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of >any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, >political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, >birth, or other status. > >(2)  Where not already provided for by existing legislative or >other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant >undertakes to take the necessary steps, in accordance with its >constitutional processes and with the provisions of the >present Covenant, to adopt such legislative or other measures >as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in >the present Covenant. . . > >Article 3.  The States Parties to the present Covenant >undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to >the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the >present Covenant. . . > >Article 25.  Every citizen shall have the right and the >opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in >article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions:  (a) to take >part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through >freely chosen representatives; (b) to vote and to be elected at >genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and >equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, >guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors; (c) >to have access, on general terms of equality, to public service >in his country. > >Article 26.  All persons are equal before the law and are >entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of >the law.  In this respect, the law shall prohibit any >discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and >effective protection against discrimination on any ground >such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other >opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other >status. > > > >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- >There will be no peace without freedom. >Think Globally -- Act Locally. >Resist Much.  Obey Little. >Question Authority. > >Comments from Bob Waldrop are the responsibility of Bob >Waldrop!  For a good time call 415-457-6388. > >E-Mail:           Bob.Waldrop@f418.n104.z1.fidonet.org >Snail Mail:       P.O. Box 526175 >                  Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-6175 >                  United States of America >Voice Phone:      (801) 582-3318 >-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- > > > >--  >		      Don't blame me; I voted Libertarian. >Disclaimer: I speak for myself, except as noted; Copyright 1993 Rich Thomson >UUCP: ...!uunet!dsd.es.com!rthomson			Rich Thomson >Internet: rthomson@dsd.es.com	IRC: _Rich_		PEXt Programmer ============================================================================ David Matthew Deane (deane@binah.cc.brandeis.edu)