Letter from Senator Durbin

I recently sent one of those oh-so-easy electronic letters (possibly through MoveOn, though I don't recall exactly) to my elected representatives (plus George Bush) voicing my support for the Civil Liberties Restoration Act. To my surprise, I got a response from Senator Dick Durbin. Yes, it was a canned email and the formatting was lousy, but at least his office made the effort.

Dear Mr. Anderson:

   Thank you for your message regarding the Civil Liberties Restoration Act. I appreciate knowing your thoughts.
   I share your interest in protecting our civil liberties. Our commitment to principle, even during difficult times, is part of what makes America a special country.
   We must not forget the painful lessons we have learned from times when we sacrificed liberty in the name of security. We should never again repeat past mistakes the government has made, including the internment mandates of World War II and the wide-ranging investigations of the McCarthy era.
   In the wake of the most deadly terrorist attack on our country in history, the Bush Administration made it clear that it was prepared to bend some of the time-honored ideals upon which our country is based.
   On June 16, 2004, I joined Senators Kennedy, Leahy, Feingold, and Corzine in introducing the Civil Liberties Restoration Act (S. 2528), which is an attempt to restore some of the civil liberties that have been put at risk since September 11th, 2001.
   Specifically, the measure would prohibit blanket closures of immigration hearings and permit closure of a hearing only on a specific showing of need. In addition, it would prohibit the detention of a non-citizen without charges for more than 48 hours, unless the Attorney General certifies, based on reasonable grounds, that the alien is engaged in espionage or terrorism. Moreover, the Civil Liberties Restoration Act would terminate the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), require the Justice Department to comply with the Privacy Act's accuracy requirements with respect to data entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, and reinstate the pre-Patriot Act standard for compelling production of business records.
   The Civil Liberties Restoration Act has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. As a member of this committee, I will continue to take steps to preserve our principles of freedom and justice as well as to defend our country against terrorism.
   Thanks again for your message. Please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

Durbin seems like a genuninely decent man. We Illinoisans are going to have a Senate contingent to be really proud of soon, with him and Obama.

In case you're wondering, no, I really don't expect to hear back from either Bush or Jerry Weller.