This letter is regarding Louis Kishkunas’ Oct. 17 guest column, “Patriot Act works to protect American citizens, not oppress them.”

Mr. Kishkunas made the following statement: “I challenge you to find someone who has had their rights violated by the Patriot Act and is unable to do anything about it.”

The problem I face writing this letter is to choose amongst the thousands of violations. I would first refer to the article “U.S. anti-war activists hit by secret airport ban,” by Andrew Gumbel of the Independent News. To quote just a few lines: “After more than a year of complaints by some U.S. anti-war activists that they were being unfairly targeted by airport security, Washington has admitted the existence of a list, possibly hundreds or even thousands of names long, of people it deems worthy of special scrutiny at airports.”

“And it is entirely separate from the relatively well-publicized ‘no-fly’ list, which covers about 1,000 people believed to have criminal or terrorist ties that could endanger the safety of their fellow passengers.”

From the Associated Press article “Bush Protester Faces Charges in S.C.,” Brett Bursey was arrested for carrying a sign that said “No War for Oil.” He faces up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted. The secret service moved all protesters more than a half mile away from President Bush. Those supporting the war were allowed to stay in sight of the president. This has happened across the country numerous times.

When a series of large anti-war protests began this past spring, the New York Police Department started questioning hundreds of people arrested at the demonstrations about their prior political activity and recording the information in a database. Constitutional scholars and civil libertarians said the practice raised grave questions about whether asking people about their political affiliations or activity would have a severe chilling effect on protest and speech that are protected by the First Amendment.

There are literally hundreds more examples, involving thousands upon thousands of American citizens. The threat Ashcroft and his Patriot Act represent to our guaranteed freedoms are very real indeed.

Brad Lucht

Alumnus