By Christopher Peak Santa Monica
What has happened to the Bill of Rights? It seems to mean nothing anymore. The current administration chooses to ignore our rights. One example is the Fourth Amendment.
The Fourth Amendment provides us with protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Bush administration has been conducting illegal wiretapping without warrants. Congress is now voting on legislation that allows the President to defy the Constitution by authorizing the NSA to wiretap our phones.
The President also wants to defy international law, namely the
Our senators and representatives have the duty to protect our civil liberties. They took an oath on their first day in office, that said,“I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic... and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.”
I challenge our nation’s Congress to uphold their oath to protect the Constitution while voting on these bills.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 5, 2006. Read the original PDF.