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International Law Section Hosts Program on Homeland Security and Civil Rights
9/12/02 As Americans hold observances to mark the terrorist attacks of September 11 last year, the State Bar of Michigan International Law Section will present a program dealing with the issues that arise from those attacks. The theme of the presentation is "Protecting the Homeland While Safeguarding Civil Rights." The program has been set for Thursday, September 26, 2002, and will be held in conjunction with the Bar's 67th Annual Meeting at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. This program is free and open to the public. Hon. Jeffrey G. Collins, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Nasser M. Beydoun, executive director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce and the first American elected as a representative to the Arab League, will explore these issues from 2 to 5 p.m.. Prior to that, a short business meeting will be held from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Howard B. Hill, chair of the International Law Section notes: "Those of us who practice regularly in the international arena have known for sometime how world events can affect America. The issues raised by 9/11 are not new—America fought the Revolutionary War over the right to certain freedoms, including the right to public trials banned by the infamous Star Chambers of the British Empire; we went to war in the Pacific because of a Day of Infamy while imprisoning American citizens because of their descent. What is timely is the public debate anew over protecting our safety without negating the very principles America has symbolized for over 200 years. This is an excellent panel organized by Clara Mager, chair-elect, and should not be missed." Collins was appointed United States attorney in November last year and serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Eastern District, which consists of 34 counties in Michigan's lower peninsula, where more than two thirds of the state population resides. He is a member of the U.S. Attorney General Task Force on Terrorism. Beydoun, a native of Bint Jebail, Lebanon, was raised in the metropolitan Detroit area and represents the Arab American business community in southeastern Michigan. Beydoun operates several companies in the Metro Detroit area.
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