I wrote another letter to my representatives (Rep. Jeff Flake, Senator McCain, and Senator Kyl) regarding the provisions of the PATRIOT Act that are up for renewal. The beginning of the letters varied slightly, but here is my letter specifically to Rep. Jeff Flake:
I have contacted you a few times within the last few months regarding this topic. I have commented how thankful I am to have you as my representative because I feel your votes are consistent with the Constitution and that you are sincere in your positions and vote according to your conscience.
However, regarding the topic of the PATRIOT Act, I am confused as to how you continue to support it. Provisions of the PATRIOT Act are up for vote again. It seems the leadership in the House and Senate are trying to be a little sneaky to get these provisions quickly pushed through without ample time for debate and consideration. I urge you to vote against extending any provisions of the PATRIOT Act.
In my mind, the question is not even if the PATRIOT Act is necessary and successful in thwarting terrorism. For what does it benefit us if what we are protecting is a surveillance, big brother-type society without the protections of the 4th Amendment? The probability of a successful outcome is hardly the yardstick for which we should measure the necessity of a particular means. If that’s the way we measure, then I have a way to stop all murder! Lock everyone up in cages and do not let them interact with each other in any physical way. No murder, problem solved.
10 days ago, there was a hearing on the renewal of some of these provisions in the PATRIOT Act. Please listen to Bruce Fein’s statement:
As Bruce Fein quoted Thomas Paine at the beginning,”It’s the duty of the patriot, to protect his country from his government.” The role of government is not to keep us safe, but to keep us free. The PATRIOT Act attempts to keep us safe, by sacrificing our freedoms.
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