Letter: Reid is working to protect our civil liberties

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006 | 8:32 a.m.

Jon Dale Hollabaugh complains in his Jan. 9 letter that Sen. Harry Reid celebrated when the filibuster of the Patriot Act was successful. Reid, and the other senators who supported the filibuster, objected to only a small portion of the Patriot Act, and it was the Republican leadership and the president who refused to deal with the issue. Republicans, as well as Democrats, supported the filibuster.

One of the most objectionable pieces that the dissenters wanted removed was "no-warrant" searches coupled with the threat of arrest if the entity being searched even revealed that a search had taken place. Under the current version of the Patriot Act, the FBI/CIA/NSA can search your home or place of business, and you cannot object or even call your lawyer, because if you do so, you can be arrested for disclosing the fact that you were searched.

Reid and the other senators who supported the filibuster don't want the Patriot Act defeated -- just modified to prevent abuses of our civil rights. And they're right.

Mr. Hollabaugh goes on to whine: "For those who have read or even thought about it, Las Vegas is very high on the most likely targets by terrorists." Apparently, among those who have not "read or even thought about it," are President Bush and his homeland security secretary. On Jan. 2 the Homeland Security Department announced a list of 35 urban areas considered high risk for threats. The list fails to include Las Vegas. But don't worry, Mr. Hollabaugh, Secretary Michael Chertoff might eventually read or think about it.

David Adams

Las Vegas