Are civil liberties many Americans take for granted in danger of being violated? Nadine Strossen, president of the American Civil Liberties Union, gave one perspective on the question Thursday in her speech titled, “Is the Bill of Rights in Jeopardy?”

Strossen spoke to a crowd of nearly 200 in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union as part of the 2004 Institute on National Affairs.

Ben Stone, executive director of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, said Strossen’s speech was a great learning opportunity for students.

“It’s easy for people in college to concentrate on things on campus and not really pay attention to the outside world. The most valuable thing is to take advantage of an opportunity to learn about some of the most critical issues that face our democracy,” he said.

A critical issue facing Americans today involves the debate of security versus freedom, particularly with the USA Patriot Act.

“We can and should be both safe and free,” Strossen said. “Measures of the Patriot Act might underscore our safety.”

The new powers for surveillance are “diverting attention from real problems and real terrorists, ” she said.

One point Strossen emphasized was citizen involvement. She encouraged audience members to write to their Congressional representatives about important issues. She said it was very clear in her experiences testifying to Congressional panels that members of both parties in Congress are very responsive to constituents’ opinions.

She said constituent pressure played a role in Congress’ refusal to expand governmental powers to access more personal information as part of what is called the Total Information Awareness program.

Strossen said students should get involved with important issues facing the nation by debating, listening to speakers and trying to open the minds of those who hold different views.

“They can really make a difference by raising their voices and getting involved, hopefully with civil liberties,” she said.