Bush Must Ensure Civil Liberties Are Not Casualties of Terror War

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Oct 22, 2001 | by Paul Weyrich

War was declared against the United States on Sept. 11. Any war is a trying time for the nation that must fight it and a testing one for its leaders.

As a nation we have done well in facing up to the shock of the attacks and the terrible loss of life inflicted by the terrorists. The bravery and courage of the men and women of the New York City Police and Fire departments has been inspiring, as have the many throughout the nation who volunteered to help following the acts of war perpetrated against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

But stiffer challenges lie ahead, as we must fight the terrorists. President George W. Bush will be put to the test, having to stare down a vocal left that will fight tooth and nail against this war. At the same time the president will have to resist pressures by collectivists to circumvent our civil liberties. Right now, more than 80 percent of the country is united behind the president.

I expect the left will be cranking into action. Streets of big cities will be filled with antiwar demonstrations. The media, especially television, will blow every ragtag bunch of nouveau-Communists out of proportion, making them seem more reflective of mainstream American sentiment than they are and, perhaps, even convincing the more naive members of the public that the tide of public opinion is turning against Bush and the war.

Those of us who care about this country and its future had better be prepared to stand against the left. We had better argue forcefully in whatever forum is available to us that we must stand against these terrorists or it will be the end of our civilization.

At the same time, the America that true and patriotic citizens love for its constitutional guarantee to freedom must be the one that we are fighting to save.

Beginning with the Civil War, every war that America has fought brought with it long-range pressures greatly to expand the powers of the federal government and to restrict our freedoms.

This nation always has prided itself on being a free society. Our borders have been more open than anywhere else in the world. All of this is likely to change now. Absent the attack on Sept. 11, our new FBI director had suggested that we may have to limit some of our freedoms in order to deal with the terrorists.

The truth is that if we further emasculate our Constitution the terrorists will have achieved the greatest victory imaginable: to watch our democratic institutions crumble.

This also will pose a significant test for Bush. How devoted is he to the Constitution? Will he veto measures that will unduly restrict this free society? Will he respond to the massive failure of our intelligence system by rebuilding our human-intelligence capability or, like Bill Clinton, continue shoveling millions of dollars into the satellites and high-tech surveillance mechanisms that proved so ineffective in providing an adequate warning about what unfolded on Sept. 11.

The Free Congress Foundation has a long-standing concern that law-enforcement and intelligence resources aimed at the surveillance of everyone all the time are not well spent. Attempts to broaden the powers of the federal government to law enforcement may make us no more safe but could very well erode our civil liberties. Terrorists realize they need to be secretive in their communications, avoiding phones or e-mail. However, the FBI already is using a software program called Carnivore that allows them to sift through vast quantities of e-mail [see news alert!, Aug. 14, 2000]. A better allocation of such resources directed toward more targeted investigations would result in a higher level of professionalism of law enforcement and national security and better results overall.

If Bush can navigate a responsible course where we make an appropriate response to those who have perpetrated these unspeakable crimes, while at the same time protecting our essential freedoms, he will end up being the greatest president of the modern age.

If, on the other hand, we as a nation fail to make an appropriate response to those who are responsible for the terroristic acts, and what remains of our Constitution is shredded in the process, then Bush will be detested by all patriotic Americans. By then, however, it is unlikely to matter because America will have ceased being America.

I, for one, am hoping and praying that Bush is up to the challenge. I, for one, believe he is. Only time will tell.

Paul M. Weyrich is president of the Free Congress Foundation and a political columnist and author.