From the issue dated September 28, 2001
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Preserving Civil LibertiesBy ALAN M. DERSHOWITZ
Will they be imposed upon us unilaterally by government officials and agencies? Or will appropriate accommodations be worked out with the advice and cooperation of civil libertarians? The latter approach is preferable to the former. In 1970, when Canada invoked the War Measures Act in response to terrorism, government officials worked with civil libertarians to present a united front in the war against terrorism. The strategy was effective. I was one of those consulted by the Canadian government, and I have offered my services to the United States government. I am confident that other civil libertarians and defense attorneys would similarly be willing to work with our government to achieve the common goal of maximizing the prevention of terrorism, while minimizing compromises with civil liberties. Working together will make it less likely that we will need lawsuits to restore our civil liberties. Sensible civil libertarians understand the need for calibrated and rational accommodations to changing conditions and dangers. Governments, for their part, should view civil libertarians as allies, rather than as enemies, in a joint effort to preserve the American way. Alan M. Dershowitz is a professor of law at Harvard University. http://chronicle.com Section: The Chronicle Review Page: B9
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Copyright © 2001 by The Chronicle of Higher Education
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Reflections on the Fractured Landscape |
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