Officials Trashed Our Rights Under The Constitution

Wed., April 19, 2000

Al Mangan Special To Opinion

On March 24, I and approximately 80 other people took part in a commemorative ceremony honoring Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, who was slain by a death squad while saying mass 20 years ago.

Some of the assassins were later identified as graduates of the U.S.-supported School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga.

In 1995, the year U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt took office, the U.S. Army reluctantly admitted it had indeed been teaching torture, murder and assassination at the School of the Americas to officers and noncoms of Central and South American nations. Some of these SOA graduates took their skills home to use against their own people in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

We had obtained a permit to use the plaza of the federal courthouse, notifying authorities we would be presenting a petition to Nethercutt’s office. When the time came to enter the building, I and many others were denied access. The head of the Federal Protective Service and the General Services Administration building manager had closed the building 15 minutes early to prevent us from entering the building and presenting our petitions.

The right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances is a constitutional right. It is indispensable in the maintenance of a free government.

Nethercutt, despite his knowledge that the School of the Americas was teaching torture, murder and assassination, voted three years in a row to continue its funding. This year he plans to take part in an Army-sponsored tour of the school. As a member of the Appropriations Committee he knowingly voted funds to continue its questionable activities. The petitions we planned to present Nethercutt asked him not to vote further funding for SOA.

An injury to one is an injury to all and if my rights and those of the other people present that day can be arbitrarily abridged or denied, so can the rights of any person. Tepid explanations by federal officials never will be a valid substitute for the peaceful exercise of constitutional rights.

The officials who denied us entrance to petition Nethercutt, once swore an oath to defend the Constitution. On Friday, March 24, they violated my constitutional rights and the rights of many others - yours as well as ours.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.