The movement began last February in Northampton, Mass., and 18 towns and cities -- including Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Sebastopol in California -- have already passed resolutions that direct local agencies to protect citizens from such questionable practices as domestic spying, ethnic profiling, secret detentions and the unauthorized release of personal records.

The American Civil Liberties Union, according to Laura Murphy, director the group's Washington legislative office, is working with dozens of communities "to go on record against repressive legislation."

Oakland's "Resolution to Oppose the USA Patriot Act and Related Executive Orders," which has received strong support from council members, affirms the city's strong opposition to terrorism, but also calls upon city agencies and private organizations to defend citizens' basic constitutional rights.

These local resolutions would be unnecessary if members of Congress were as bold in standing up to the Bush administration's excessive proposals to peel back civil liberties.

©2002 San Francisco Chronicle

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