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"Democracy Dies Behind Closed Doors": Civil Liberties and National Defense
From: University of Chicago
| By:
Nadine Strossen |
EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION |
Can the United States be both safe and free? According to Nadine Strossen, law professor and president of the American Civil Liberties Union, there should be "no inherent conflict between national defense and civil liberties," and she sharply criticizes the government's efforts to expand its law-enforcement powers in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Speaking at the annual Schwartz Lecture hosted by the University of Chicago Law School, Strossen assails the passage of the USA Patriot Act and Attorney General John Ashcroft's belief that champions of civil liberties are unwittingly aiding terrorists. She quotes a number of conservative thinkers who share her views, and cites examples of how these new powers--including government access to library records, plans to establish military tribunals, and the secret detention of suspects--erode the freedoms the United States is fighting to protect. |
![[Strossen]](3797_500.jpg)
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Nadine Strossen challenges the government's claim that it needs sweeping new surveillance powers to combat terrorism.
(14:24)
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![[Strossen]](3797_501.jpg)
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Strossen argues that new legislation flunks a basic constitutional test: it does not maximize security with minimal cost to liberty.
(8:54)
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![[Strossen]](3797_502.jpg)
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Strossen cites leading conservatives who oppose the USA Patriot Act--and chides Attorney General John Ashcroft for saying opponents of the law may be guilty of treason.
(7:24)
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![[Strossen]](3797_503.jpg)
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Strossen provides examples of the ways in which civil rights have been undermined, from strip searches to secret deportation hearings.
(18:06)
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![[Strossen]](3797_504.jpg)
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Strossen fields questions about government surveillance, airline safety, the ACLU's position on military action, and the Supreme Court's record on civil liberties.
(14:48)
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