Terror Bill: Success for Bin Laden?

Re “Terror Bill’s Effects to Be Immediate,” Oct. 26: It has been said that when one gives up a bit of freedom for more security he may eventually find that he has lost both. With the passing of the anti-terrorism bill, Osama bin Laden has caused us to give up some of those freedoms. And while his attacks on the World Trade Center were horrible beyond description, this may be a greater achievement for him.

This is a well-intentioned bill that leaves much of the decision-making process up to law enforcement and federal agencies, much like the World War II internment camps for Japanese Americans and the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Those were created from fear too, and it wasn’t until years later that we saw them for what they were, a deprivation of the constitutional rights of citizens.

Charles H. Wohlken

Orange

*

It takes Congress decades to extend civil rights but only a matter of weeks to take them away. I’d say the current confidence in politicians is badly misplaced.

Joe Crompton

Los Angeles