Passage of the USA PATRIOT Act is old news but the sinister effects of this far-reaching legislation are only now becoming clear. In the name of fighting the War on Terrorism, the federal government has done away with many of our most sacred civil and legal rights.

One of the most disturbing surveillance techniques made possible by the legislation is the monitoring of library records. According to Cindy Czesak, a librarian at Paterson Public Library in Paterson, New Jersey, the Act “makes what people read and borrow from libraries fair game in the name of tracking terrorists.” Perhaps more disturbing is that the application of the broad surveillance powers is not open to public accountability. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is spearheading a campaign to hold public hearings on the PATRIOT Act but the current law does not require federal law enforcement agencies to disclose their investigations.

A majority of Americans seem to care little about the curtailment of their rights. Viet Dinh, an assistant attorney general for legal policy, assures us that “the suspicions that the FBI bases its investigation on is derived from credible investigative or intelligence sources.” That is all well and good… but why should we trust the government when it refuses to disclose the details of its investigations? As Representative Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, argues, “one of the cornerstones of our democracy is the right of Americans to criticize their government and to read printed materials without fear of government monitoring and intrusion.” That our government seeks to eliminate this most precious right should be a clear warning that the post-9/11 crackdown on civil liberties is very, very real.

Sanders is backing a bill in Congress that would repeal the provisions of the USAPA that have allowed federal agents to glean records from more than 175 libraries nationwide. Unfortunately, even this best estimate (published in a study by the University of Illinois) is only a guess because any information about the surveillance is classified by the Department of Justice. The bill, labeled the “Freedom to Read Protection Act of 2003,” would restore protections for the privacy of bookstore and library records. The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression’s President Chris Finan argues that the act will “restore faith in the confidentiality of these records without harming national security.” His March 19th article is well worth a read - it makes a compelling case for passing this vital piece of legislation before our core political rights are further eroded by unbridled federal surveillance power.

In other news, software companies rae lining up to sell surveillance technology to businesses and governments affected by the PATRIOT act. As writer Katharine Mieszkowski puts it, “Welcome to the digital police state, shrinkwrapped by a Silicon Valley start-up near you.” With the economy still slumping and technology companies desperately seeking new markets, it appears that the once proud libertarian industry has lost its resolve to do what’s right without regard to the bottom line. And while that sentiment may rely a bit on revisionist history, it is undeniable that these companies are sacrificing a lot to sell high-tech tools to Big Brother.

There are a number of other issues surrounding USA PATRIOT including the ominous Patriot 2. I urge all those who care about their freedoms to read up on these often inconspicuous changes in federal law and do what you can to combat them. If we don’t do something soon, we may never be able to turn back the clock.