In these troubling times of war and uncertainty, U.S. citizens’ rights are something that should be cherished dearly. But it is those rights that are slowly being chipped away. However, a few brave librarians in California are taking measures to ensure that their patrons’ freedom will not be compromised.

The librarians in Santa Cruz, Calif., are shredding documents that could be confiscated from them by the FBI upon request. According to the New York Times, the librarians are doing it because they do not believe the FBI has a right see who’s surfing the Internet on their computers or checking out certain books. If they shred documents before the FBI inquires about it, they are acting within the law, a Justice Department spokesman said.

Their actions are brave and are an example to all Americans of people exercising their right to maintain the freedoms that we have been able to enjoy for more than 200 years. They are not letting a stifling law such as the Patriot Act get in the way. These librarians, along with several other librarians across the country, are posting signs on their doors warning their customers of the possibility that their information may have to be handed over because of the passage of the act.

One community in the Midwest has taken action in a stance against the Patriot Act. On April 5, the Minneapolis City Council voted not to use city resources to enforce the act by a vote of 11-2, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

But it seems things may get worse. At the time of passage, the Patriot Act was intended to expire at the end of 2005. Congressional Republicans, led by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, now want to make the law’s powers permanent.

Although the Patriot Act was dramatically approved after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, it was voted upon — with the support of civil libertarians — with the intention of its eventual demise. The act has allowed the FBI to work more freely in its efforts to halt terrorism within the United States, but it’s a liberty that was intended to be temporary.

It was leaked in January that there is a Patriot Act II in the works. This act would allow the federal government to arrest and detain terrorism suspects in secret and would extend its power to issue top-secret surveillance warrants to include U.S. citizens under suspicion of terrorist activities, according to the Tampa Tribune. In February, the Los Angeles Times quoted a Justice Department spokeswoman saying that nothing is final yet, but “We are always looking for new ways to protect the American people from terrorists.”

It seems as if our government wants to protect us by taking away our basic rights, instead of working within the rights our government has already given us. Enough is enough — our government must learn when to stop.

Editorial Board: Cavan Reagan, Amber Billings, Ayrel Clark, Charlie Weaver, Katie List