The Sandspur

Issue date: 11/19/04 Section: Opinions

Media Credit: STEVE SACK/KRT

On Tuesday, November 9, the White House announced that John Ashcroft would resign from his position as attorney general. He has suffered from health problems, including gallstone pancreatitis in March. Ashcroft told the president that the job has been "both rewarding and depleting." I wish John Ashcroft the best, and I hope that his retirement will help to improve his health.

Ashcroft has been a controersial figure in his four years as the attorney general. He is conservative; he is religious; and he supported the Patriot Act.

Yes, the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act has definitely been a source of conflict recently. It basically takes increased measures for the government to be able to identify terrorists. The act increases opportunities for gathering information and, in some cases, offers protection or immunity to those who give information about terrorist activity.

The critics say that the Patriot Act infringes upon civil liberties. So here is what I say to them.

Infringes on civil liberties? Three years ago, a group of terrorists flew two planes into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. Yet another plane was brought down by heroes like Todd Beamer in a field in Pennsylvania where the passengers on the plane were the only ones harmed. Doesn't that infringe on your civil liberties?

I know that I would personally rather endure the extra airport security if it means that the plane that I am about to board is not going to crash into a building and result in the deaths of thousands of people. One of my civil liberties is the freedom to live safely.

Some challenge the effectiveness of the legislation. Well, how many terrorist attacks have we had on U.S. soil since the implementation of this act?

We don't hear about it every time the Patriot Act catches someone who tries to commit a terrorist act. Better yet, we don't hear about it every time a terrorist is deterred from even trying because he knows that he will get caught. It is difficult to monitor the success of this legislation in terms of what it has done right. However, you would know if it failed. There would be a bomb in your classroom. There would be anthrax in your mailbox. There would be a plane through your window.

Freedom is a wonderful thing. It is important, and it is valuable. It is the pride and joy of our fair nation. It is the reason that we do not understand terrorism. It is the reason that we do not want to understand it-only to beat it.

However, we must remember what our freedoms truly are. We have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to be who we are, freedom to be safe. In defense of these freedoms, we must sometimes control other privacies and liberties. To protect the freedoms on which this country was founded, it might take a little more airport security. I will take that trade any day.

So good luck, Mr. Ashcroft. You have done a good job. You have provided us with legislation that has helped to make us safe. We appreciate it, and we wish you the best.

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