This is in response to your Saturday, Nov. 14, “Thumbs down” editorial criticizing intelligence agencies and law enforcement for being slow to act prior to the Hasan shootings at Fort Hood. While pointing fingers, you forget that Americans often want their cake and eat it, too.
On the one hand, in this case, we want the intelligence and law enforcement agencies to quickly act against an American person on the suspicion that something is possibly going to happen.
On the other hand, however, on Nov. 5, 2009, the House Judiciary Committee passes H.R. 3845 amending the USA Patriot Act to limit the ability of intelligence and law enforcement to conduct lawful intercepts and gain information in an expeditious manner in order to protect privacy. Intelligence agencies and law enforcement only play by the rules established by Congress, the president, and oversight entities.
Rather than giving a “thumbs down” to intelligence agencies and law enforcement, how about a thumbs down to our representatives who pass these limiters on the ability of our government to protect us? Simply put, “Ya can’t have it both ways!”
Kerry E. Haynes
Abingdon, Va.
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