On Wednesday, Sept. 10, President Bush addressed the nation regarding his plans to further empower U.S. officials in their efforts to enact his vision of national security. Calling for an increase in the scope of the Patriot Act, legislation created to bolster domestic and global counter-terrorism initiatives, Bush proposed action to reduce the rights of suspected and convicted terrorists throughout America. Law enforcement agents will no longer need to receive approval from judges when issuing subpoenas to suspected terrorists, and these same suspected terrorists may be denied bail under the President's proposal. Furthermore, mandatory death penalties will be enforceable for some specific terrorist acts. The Spectrum is wary of the White House's consistent erosion of Fourth and Sixth Amendment Rights and strongly disapproves of Bush's choice to make his proposal on the eve of Sept. 11.
Most worrisome of Bush's suggestions is the right to bypass subpoena approval for suspected terrorists. Like perpetrators of hate-crimes, convicted terrorists deserve harsher punishment for their actions; however, suspected terrorists must be treated fairly, because a violation of their rights threatens the ideal of legal checks and balances. Allowing federal agents broad power to bypass judicial approval will not serve to better protect the freedoms of Americans - instead, it will threaten our liberty and the foundations of the U.S. Constitution.
By timing his speech to coincide with the anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Center and the attacks in Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, Bush clearly wished to rouse fear-driven support for his proposal. The Spectrum condemns this attempt to take advantage of the emotions of Americans when they are recalling the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001. Influencing our citizens with paranoia is offensive and has become a too-frequent tactic of the Bush administration. Bush must appeal to the nation's reasoning, not to its fears.
While the White House supports these measures, it is unclear whether Congress will so eagerly receive this legislation. The Spectrum has confidence that the House of Representatives will not be swayed by scare tactics and will continue to support the individual rights of citizens over the theoretical "greater good." Let us hope that the Constitution is not perceived by Bush or any other government official as an ever-shrinking document - it was created to preserve the freedoms of individual Americans, and will continue to protect them as long as it is the highest law of the land.
