Posted on: Thursday, May 22, 2003

EDITORIAL
The Patriot Act has outworn its welcome

It's no secret that we've been wary of the USA Patriot Act right from the get-go. It was passed in the fear-charged aftermath of Sept. 11, and many members of Congress who approved it admit they never read more than a few paragraphs of the measure in their haste to rush it through.

We trusted the law would be limited to empowering authorities to more easily track down terrorists. Well, apparently law enforcement needed these virtual police state powers for help with more than just terrorism, and that's rather troubling.

According to a report to the House Judiciary Committee, the U.S. Justice Department has been using these expanded surveillance and detention powers to pursue suspected criminals whose misdeeds bear no relation to terrorism.

How can we expect people to respect our judicial system if we so blatantly bend the rules?

As it is, the Patriot Act goes against the most fundamental American principles of justice. Its expanded powers invade privacy, imprison people without due process and punish dissent.

To use such tactics for non-terrorism-related policing is simply wrong. The laws we have on the books ought to be sufficient. And if they're not, then they should be revised in accordance with the Constitution.

Fortunately, several sections of the act will expire on Dec. 31, 2005, unless Congress passes another law extending them. It's time to challenge the Patriot Act and rein it in before the abuses worsen.