Re: Freedom of Speech is dead

Matt posted about a concerning incident at the University of Florida involving an egregious suppression of free speech.  As if that were not bad enough, another violation of the Constitution is pushing forward.  The Associated Press reports that President Bush is championing another “anti-terrorism” initiative:

Under the new law — the Protect America Act — the government can eavesdrop, without a court order, on communications conducted by a person reasonably believed to be outside the United States, even if an American is on one end of the conversation — so long as that American is not the intended focus or target of the surveillance.

For comparison’s sake I will supply the text of the Fourth Amendment in the Bill of Rights in our Constitution:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Obviously this does not specifically mention phone lines or wiretaps as it was written in 1791 but I think it is fair to say that phone calls made from private US citizens would fall under “persons, houses, papers, and effects.”

Contact your Senators, Representatives, and even President to voice your support for the Constitution on which this country was founded.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Those who would give up an essential liberty to purchase a little temporary saftey deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  Or as my freshman year roommate Carson Saporta puts it: Stop crapping on the Constitution.

Posted in Misc, Politics |