Oh, You Better Watch Out . . .

Mr. Ashcroft is possibly coming to town; with the so-called Patriot Act, this Patriot is concerned that Mr. Ashcroft and his cronies in the government will determine if we've been naughty or nice without due process.

It is fine to apprehend criminals and terrorists and to place them into our legal system, and even to out-technology them to get them off our streets and into prison. A terrorist or murderer should be quickly tried, and if guilty, harshly punished, even executed. But no matter how heinous the crime, all are still entitled to Constitutional protections, and this Patriot Act is certainly anathema to our Constitution, as I understand it. Wiretaps, undercover surveillance and all the other tricks of the trade are fine, but lets do it with due process, and let's make the facts known to citizens immediately after the facts are presented to a court of law.

There has of late been too much quibbling with Lady Justice and her scales have been weighted and tarnished by over-zealous Justice Department Officials and Homeland Security Department enthusiasts. Don't look now, but we are on the verge of legally sanctioning virtual lynch mobs made up of the very people charged to protect us. We are on the verge of allowing government officials to interpret our actions as moral or immoral, legal or illegal, without the benefit of judge, jury or rational recourse.

Mr. Ashcroft in his haste to hide the injustice is even denying print media reporters from questioning him during his presentations, given to those most likely to be friendly to his ideas. Does this sound familiar folks, history buffs, and survivors of a terrible decade or so beginning in the mid-30s? Let's stay awake at the wheel this time, folks; let's ask those questions, and let's demand answers from those who are our servants. If not, we shall unquestionably be their servants sooner than you think.