On Sept. 11 I wondered in this space whether liberty would survive the terrorists’ atrocities. We are getting our answer.
The reach of this legislation is beyond anything most Americans understand. Read this description by the ACLU.
You should emphathize with the members of Congress who voted for the legislation, even though they opted for an historic change in the law with almost no debate or genuine consideration. They’re under tremendous pressure, and most of them surely believe it will do more good than harm.
But the potential for abuse is extraordinary. The legislation is a major step toward a surveillance state. And it will surely lead to conditions under which petty criminals — and innocent people — get labeled and punished as terrorists.
When this bill passes the full Congress and is signed into law by President Bush, the terrorists will have achieved one of their goals. They will have led America to crush some of the very openness and liberty that make this nation so great.