Letter To Rep Flake Regarding Extension To PATRIOT Act Provisions

Here is a letter I wrote to my Representive Jeff Flake about the vote yesterday to extend a few of the provisions from the PATRIOT Act that were set to expire. He voted to extend the provisions, however, the provisions did NOT pass, thanks to the democrats! At least someone is standing up for our freedoms. I don’t care who does it. You can see how your representative voted here.

Here’s the letter:

I just saw that you voted to extend the few provisions from the PATRIOT Act that came up for vote. Luckily, it did not pass, but I’m am deeply disturbed by your vote. Normally, you and I are on the same page of every issue. Your voting record is very consistent with the Constitution. However, I don’t know how you can support the provisions being extended, which include accessing information, and otherwise spying on individuals who have not been charged with any crime. It does not matter if that person is a suspected terrorist or not. ALL individuals deserve constitutional protection and are innocent until proven guilty. If we make exceptions for those that we fear and abhor, we open the door for those same actions being taken against us. There have been numerous innocent Americans that have been watched and spied on since the inception of the PATRIOT Act. Please stand up for individual freedom and rights and let us remember the lessons of history and the wise words attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller in Nazi Germany:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.