Patriot Act and Politics

In the last several days there has been alot of talk about the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act. Several republicans have joined democrats in blocking passage of the provisions and time is running short. The President and several key Republicans are trying to garner support but are having trouble. The fact that any vote is nessesary is what alarms me.

Now I do not mean that I agree with the Patriot Act. I cannot agree with any law that allows roving wiretaps and secret warrants for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and organizations such as libraries. Why in the world does the government need to know what citizen X, who has no connection to any political organization or any cause for suspicion, is doing on their computer, their health records or library books. This is not a small thing. The fact that the Government has and wishes to continue "to obtain Americans' business, medical and other records — including patron information from libraries — without judicial review; without informing the targets or suspecting them of wrongdoing or even of having any contact with people who are under suspicion; and without the ability of the demand for records to be challenged. To make all of that overreaching even worse, the information-holder presented with the "national security letter" that contains the demand is prohibited from telling anyone about it — forever."

Does this ring of the times in the past? Government agents actively involved, and in some cases instigating action, with various groups both political and religious. The Black Panters, Martin Luther King and more. Sounds alot like how the "N.S.A. eavesdropped without warrants on up to 500 people in the United States at any given time." This is a problem.

The Government should never have blanket authority over any actions that involve its citizens. The Government needs the checks and balances that exist in all levels in America. Without such safeguards a slippery slope away from democracy is created. Think of what would happen if a 'McCarthy-ish' attack were started within the Government. Individuals accussed of aiding 'terrorists' would have their assets frozen overnight. Rights could and would be stripped, and they would be detained without a right to a lawyer for an indefinite amount of time. Sounds similar to a Russian gulag, or South Africa's actions against Apartheid-opposition groups, like Nelson Mandela, except it could be any person in the U.S. The mere act of freezing all assets is enough to possibly bankrupt many, and can easily force anyone into homelessness in short order. And that is without the need to provide a court any cause. Its almost what can be done now.

"If the Constitution stands for anything, it's that government does not have the power to peer into our private lives without evidence of wrongdoing, '' commented Laura Murphy of the ACLU. I have to agree with this. Why the Government needs the ability to have secret searches of homes, businesses and personal property and access to library, medical & firearm ownership records and expanded powers of surveillence (as shown by the New York Times above) without evidence of wrongdoing, or providing a case to a public (not secret) court is absurd and dangerous. Someone once said 'Power corrupts and Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely,'and when discussing human beings history has shown it to always be true. Without reguard to intentions or just cause, given time my above hypothetical will happen to someone, and probably many of them.

I believe in fighting for America. I stand with our nation, right or wrong in almost any cause. I believe in removing the threat of terrorism from our daily lives. Yet I am not so foolish as to believe that giving up my rights is worth the dream of safety. I do mean a dream, as several committees have found our nation is as vunerable to attack (domestic or foreign) as it was pre-9/11. We are no more prepared than before. Money has been spend without a plan, in terms of terror attack preparedness nationwide. An attack on Cleveland is as likely as another in NYC or Little Rock. Any idiot can build a car bomb and set it off and there is nothing that can be done if he never told anyone prior. Kids attacking kids in schools, sadly, continues as well.

The dream of safety, like the one the nation has had since 9/11, is not worth any citizens freedoms. My father, my sister and I have all been in the armed forces to defend those freedoms, and would do so again in a moment. But to think that giving up on our rights will make any part of this country safer than Paris, or London, or anywhere else in the world is foolish.

This isn't political. It's not something you debate about and make commercials for during re-elections. It's not about soundbites on TV or in newspapers. It's not about being on a bandwagon or popularity. And its not in the long-term interest of our nation.

That's my opinion, what do you think?