To the editor:

Under the present administration’s heavy-handed attempts to wage an indefinite and ill-defined war against terrorism, Americans are losing rights guaranteed to them under the Constitution of the United States.

Sadly, rights of free speech and association, freedoms from unreasonable search and seizures, rights to an attorney, a speedy trial and due process are all under attack from laws passed by President Bush and Congress.

While one is justifiably angered and saddened by what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, the 3,000 deaths on that day pale in comparison to the annual deaths of 5,000 Americans from food poisoning, 6,000 from hazards (many preventable) on the job and 28,000 from firearms. Even though these deaths continue like clockwork, I have yet to see Bush argue that these tragedies require us to roll back the Bill of Rights.

The case of Luis Padilla, an American citizen being held in a military prison without being charged and with no access to attorneys or his family, moved Georgetown University law professor David Cole to say, “The authority of the executive branch to go out and unilaterally pick up any U.S. person anywhere in the world and lock him up without any forum in which the person could assert his innocence, that ought to be a frightening prospect for any of us.”

A group of us will put a resolution in front of our city and county representatives in September that will ask for the repeal of these unconstitutional laws. Please join us.

Donald Phipps,

Lawrence