The “War on Terror” has become the rationalization for major violations of human rights, personal privacy and civil liberties.
This is a “war” that has no end because there will always be angry people who believe their cause justifies terrorist acts.
For Americans, this reality is a sea change in our view of the world. It’s time to think differently about how we deal with the threat of terror, before this so-called war makes a shambles of our democracy.
This is, indeed, an uncertain and unsettling world. That is unlikely to change. Do we really want that reality to erode our democratic institutions, freedom, and commitment to human rights?
Under the precept of “war powers,” this administration is now tapping Americans’ phone calls and e-mails. It is holding and torturing prisoners, without charges, in “black sites,” clandestine CIA prisons scattered around the world. It is even allowing FBI surveillance of non-profit organizations and peaceful demonstrations.
In response to the revelations about the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping on American phone calls and e-mails, I’ve heard people say, “I’m not doing anything wrong, so I’m OK.” That is a frightening outlook.
Are we OK if we criticize the president or the war in Iraq?
Are we OK if we demonstrate for human rights or environmental causes or an end to illegal wiretaps?
Are we OK if we proselytize our religion?
What is tolerated under one administration might not be acceptable under the next. Even today, under the auspices of “national security,” both liberal and conservative groups are being watched by our government.
That’s the reason a broad spectrum of organizations and politicians are becoming restive about this president’s secrecy and policies.
The Washington Post quoted one conservative, David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, as saying, “The problem is where do you stop rebalancing the [presidential] power and go too far in the other direction? I think in some instances [Bush] has gone too far.”
The great American tradition of debating our government’s actions and policies is what keeps our democracy on kilter.
It’s what is badly needed now and, thankfully, is beginning to happen.
Republican Sen. John McCain’s insistence on banning torture is one example. The bipartisan effort in Congress to revise the Patriot Act to bolster protection of our civil liberties is another.
Given the very real threat of terror both here and abroad, how do we maintain our precious freedoms and still protect ourselves?
To begin with, Congress must step up to its oversight responsibilities, monitor executive branch activities and set clear policies for acceptable behavior of both the administration and intelligence community in this new environment.
While extra-legal actions might sometimes be prudent, a judge should always approve them beforehand. President Bush argues that this takes too long, but we can streamline this judicial approval process, if necessary, and take the time to make sure our government is not threatening the freedoms we elect it to uphold.
With any extra-legal activity, there should be periodic judicial and congressional review to make sure it is still necessary.
Activities abhorrent to our moral and ethical values, like torture, should never be allowed.
Congress should rewrite the Patriot Act to make sure it protects our civil liberties while still providing the information necessary to protect our country.
Finally, we need to broaden the security and civil-liberties debate within the administration, Congress and the larger public. It is unacceptable for a small group of in-house lawyers to justify policies that violate our sense of justice, decency and freedom based solely on what the president and vice president want to do.
We proudly tout our democratic principles to what used to be an admiring world.
Today, our credibility is in tatters. To effectively promote democracy around the globe, we must live it at home.
Gail Schoettler is a former U.S. ambassador, Colorado lieutenant governor and treasurer, Democratic nominee for governor and Douglas County school board member.
