FISA Is Personal

As the Senate caved in to President Bush and passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (FAA), there were many debates on both sides of the issue. Some people argued that this law compromises our Constitution and civil liberties, while others believed the Democrats were right in passing it because it's the best available option. Others observed that, yet again, members of Congress — especially Democrats — don't want to be seen as "soft on terror" right before the elections.

I, too, followed these discussions and thought about how to write an analytical — and detached — blog post about this huge threat to our Constitution and civil liberties. Instead, I have decided to make it more personal because the FAA is not an abstract bill. It affects the lives of thousands of law-abiding people in the United States who are Muslim, Arab, or South Asian with no connections to terrorism but who are being illegally spied on. As the bill was passed, Senator Christopher S. Bond (R-MO), who was a lead negotiator, said there is nothing to fear "unless you have Al Qaeda on your speed dial."

Well Mr. Bond, I disagree. I am afraid. I am very afraid that my every move or word, spoken and written, is being evaluated based on preconceived, homogeneous notions of what Muslims look like or think or how they dress or behave. As I log onto Facebook, I screen myself and am more cautious about the stories I post or how I express my ideas and thoughts. When I see pictures of my brother posted online with him in traditional Arab attire, I am afraid that he will be unduly screened by authorities, his name will appear on a watch list, and he will be harassed the next time he travels. When my male family members and friends travel, I am relieved when I find out that they passed through security without being harassed or detained.

These are real fears and issues. These are not the reasons I proclaim myself to be a proud U.S. citizen. I am proud because the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee my freedom of expression and protection against spying and the right to privacy. Unfortunately, the passage of this bill and the apathy of much of the American public towards this issue have robbed me of that pride. Instead, it has been replaced by fear, tinged with a slight hope that through the work of UUSC's Civil Liberties Program and other organizations, those rights will be restored — for everyone.