Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties
Encyclopedia
Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties is a 2004
political documentary
written, produced and directed by Nonny de la Peña and sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union
, which focuses on what the filmmaker contends is widespread abuse of civil liberties carried out in the wake of the USA PATRIOT Act
and other administration policies. İt is the third and final film in the Un-trilogy from Executive Producer Robert Greenwald
.
, states that, De la Peña expertly personalizes the stories of Aquil Abdullah, a 2004 U.S. Olympic rower who happens to be Catholic but turned up on no-fly lists because of his name; the Hamoui family, Syrians living in Seattle who were detained by federal agents; and A.J. Brown, a North Carolina college student visited by agents investigating her "un-American" activities.
Ned Martel, writing in the New York Times, describes it and its companion piece Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election
as somber films, which use experts and eyewitnesses to less rousing effect than Michael Moore
. He also states that, Sometimes their arguments inspire unintended doubts about the alleged abuses, in particular reference to the arrest of Safouh Hamoui featured in the film, where according to Martel, The narrator skims over the fact that Mr. Hamoui had been awaiting deportation because of his lawyer's carelessness.
Lou Lumenick, writing in the New York Post
, describes the film as, the latest, and let's hope the last, in the raft of uninspired, quickie Bush-bashing documentaries churned out by producer Robert Greenwald, in which, The usual army of talking heads condemns the Patriot Act as the administration's calculated overreaction to the 9/11 attacks - but director Nonny de la Pena, who has nothing new to offer, is preaching strictly to the converted. He concludes, Save your money and rent "Fahrenheit 9/11
" when it hits video on Tuesday.
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
political documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
written, produced and directed by Nonny de la Peña and sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, which focuses on what the filmmaker contends is widespread abuse of civil liberties carried out in the wake of the USA PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
and other administration policies. İt is the third and final film in the Un-trilogy from Executive Producer Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald is an American film director, film producer, and political activist.-Early life:Greenwald was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ruth and Harold Greenwald. He attended the city's High School of Performing Arts...
.
Synopsis
The film follows the passage of the controversial legislation through Congress, the effect critics say it had on Arabs and Muslims in the U.S., and the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.Participants
- Laura Murphy, Director - Washington Legislative Office, American Civil Liberties Union
- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, (D) Oregon
- David D. ColeDavid D. ColeDavid D. Cole is an American law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center. He has published in various legal fields including civil rights, criminal justice, constitutional law and law and literature...
, Professor of Law, Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States... - Former Rep. Robert Barr (R) Georgia
- Anthony RomeroAnthony RomeroAnthony D. Romero is the American executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.-Early life:Romero was born in New York City on July 9, 1965 to Puerto Rican parents Demetrio and Coralie Romero. He was raised in the Bronx.-Education:...
, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union - Barbara OlshanskyBarbara Olshansky-The Case for Impeachment:Olshansky is author with Dave Lindorff of The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W...
, Deputy Legal Director, Center for Constitutional RightsCenter for Constitutional RightsAl Odah v. United States:Al Odah is the latest in a series of habeas corpus petitions on behalf of people imprisoned at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. The case challenges the Military Commissions system’s suitability as a habeas corpus substitute and the legality, in general, of detention at... - Vincent CannistraroVincent CannistraroVincent Cannistraro was Director of Intelligence Programs for the United States National Security Council from 1984 to 1987; Special assistant for Intelligence in the Office of the Secretary of Defense until 1988; and Chief of Operations and Analysis at the Central Intelligence Agency's ...
, Former CIA Director for Counter Terrorism and Operations Analysis - The Hamoui Family - Sam Hamoui, Safouh Hamoui, Hanan Hamoui, Mohammed Hamoui, Nadin Hamoui & Rham Hamoui
- Kathy Culliton, Legislative Staff Attorney, Mexican American Legal Denfense and Educational Fund
- Thomas B. Wilner, Attorney for Kuwaitee Detainees
- Maj. Michael MoriMichael MoriMichael Dante Mori is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Mori was the military lawyer for Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks.-History:...
, U.S. Military Lawyer Appointed to Guantanamo Detainee David HicksDavid HicksDavid Matthew Hicks is an Australian who was convicted by the United States of America Guantanamo Military Commission under the Military Commissions Act of 2006, on charges of providing material support for terrorism... - Azmat Begg, Father of Guatanamo Bay Detainee
- Donna Newman, Attorney for Jose Padilla
- Anne Turner, Libraian, Santa Cruz Public Library
- Ryan CoonertyRyan CoonertyRyan Coonerty is an American businessman, academic, author, politician, who serves as mayor of Santa Cruz, California in 2008 and 2011.In addition to serving on city council, he co-founded NextSpace Coworking in Santa Cruz in 2008...
, Bookstore Owner - Douglas Heller, Executive Director, Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
- Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, Partnership for Justice
- David Lindorff, Investigative Reporter and Author of This Can't Be Happening
- Jayashri Srikantian, American Civil Liberties Union
- Andrew O'Connor, Former Public Defender
- A.J. Brown, Student
- Ken Kurtis, Owner, Reefseekers
- Dave Meserve, Arcata City Council Member
Reviews
Kevin Crust, writing in the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, states that, De la Peña expertly personalizes the stories of Aquil Abdullah, a 2004 U.S. Olympic rower who happens to be Catholic but turned up on no-fly lists because of his name; the Hamoui family, Syrians living in Seattle who were detained by federal agents; and A.J. Brown, a North Carolina college student visited by agents investigating her "un-American" activities.
Ned Martel, writing in the New York Times, describes it and its companion piece Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election
Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election
Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election is a 2002 47-minute documentary made by Richard Ray Pérez and Joan Sekler and narrated by Peter Coyote about the contested 2000 presidential election in Florida...
as somber films, which use experts and eyewitnesses to less rousing effect than Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
. He also states that, Sometimes their arguments inspire unintended doubts about the alleged abuses, in particular reference to the arrest of Safouh Hamoui featured in the film, where according to Martel, The narrator skims over the fact that Mr. Hamoui had been awaiting deportation because of his lawyer's carelessness.
Lou Lumenick, writing in the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, describes the film as, the latest, and let's hope the last, in the raft of uninspired, quickie Bush-bashing documentaries churned out by producer Robert Greenwald, in which, The usual army of talking heads condemns the Patriot Act as the administration's calculated overreaction to the 9/11 attacks - but director Nonny de la Pena, who has nothing new to offer, is preaching strictly to the converted. He concludes, Save your money and rent "Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 is a 2004 documentary film by American filmmaker and political commentator Michael Moore. The film takes a critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and its coverage in the news media...
" when it hits video on Tuesday.