Patriot Act should not be renewed

This editorial originally appeared in the Thursday edition of the Juneau Empire.

In the pursuit of those who might one day harm U.S. citizens, the civil rights of every American have been stepped on for almost 14 years.

The Patriot Act, among other things, has allowed the bulk collection of U.S. citizens’ phone records without their knowing. This program conjures images of Big Brother’s ever-watchful eyes, as described in George Orwell’s novel “1984.”

Three key sections of the Patriot Act expire unless Congress takes action to renew them by June 1. These sections are the ones that allow the bulk collection to take place. They should be allowed to expire.

It has not been proven whether the bulk collection of Americans’ phone records has prevented or lowered the chance of a terrorist attack. In fact, even the White House admitted that the government can accomplish its goals without bulk telephone records collection.

This practice places national security over personal privacy. Americans have ceded enough privacy since Sept. 11, 2001, and those fear-mongering in support of the Patriot Act would have you believe the nation cannot protect itself without peering into our phone records. That simply is not true.

The FBI has, as it’s always had, the ability to offer surveillance of suspected threats. If Congress believes the “lone wolf” provision under the act should remain so the FBI can conduct surveillance on “known” terror suspects and intercept phone calls, then by all means draft a new piece of legislation so the practice can continue.

The bulk collection of phone data, however, is taking a “needle in a haystack” approach to a task that requires precision and direct purpose. The Patriot Act treats us all as suspects, absent any crime. That’s not how we do things in the U.S., nor should it ever be if we are to remain the land of the free.

In recent years, we have learned how far our government is willing to go in order to “protect” us. Edward Snowden will forever be considered a patriot to some, and turncoat to others, for opening our eyes to how deep our privacy has been invaded.

We know it is a dangerous world; it always has been and always will be. The question is, how much freedom are we willing to sacrifice to be a part of it?

Some in Congress have proposed a bill to “reform” the bulk collection of phone records. This bill supposedly adds checks and balances to the bulk collection program. Unfortunately, putting icing on a brick doesn’t make it any easier to swallow. We ask Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan to vote against this reform bill and allow these three sections of the Patriot Act to expire. If the bill is revised in the Senate, we ask Rep. Don Young to vote against it when it returns to the House.

If Congress wants to fight a war on terror, it must focus federal resources on known threats, not 319 million people living in the U.S. who need protecting.