Is the USA Patriot Act a reasonable response to extraordinary times or a profound threat to our freedoms? Here is a selection of views from the Colby community:

Jack Sisson '06: "The negatives are a small price to pay for a country that is dealing with terrorism. Federal agents need adequate tools to deal with the new and evolving tactics that terrorist groups employ. I don't know what the effect of Patriot Act II will be, but I wouldn't be concerned if library records could be accessed without a warrant."

Emily Posner '04: "Social movements based on questioning those in power are being stifled, and eventually that may make America more like a dictatorship. It erodes possibilities to engage our democracy because we can't build communities when we are scared of each other."

Steve Bogden '05, co-president of the Colby Republicans and member of the ACLU: "Diverse sections of the American polity are interested in preserving rights and will protect us from government excesses. Civil liberties are flexible during times of war--there's historical precedent for that--but I think the act was a mistake. When the exportation of American ideology by a process of inspiration discredits Islamic fundamentalism, the future will be free from terrorism and the act will be rescinded."

Susan Ellsworth '03, who conducted research into the impact of the act on immigration procedures and is now interning with Human Rights Watch in Washington, D.C.: "In my interviews, many students were afraid to speak with me and most did not wish to go home during breaks for fear of losing their visas. There's a prevailing fear of arbitrary detention for un-American actions, the criteria for which one has no way of presupposing."

Harriet Sargent Wiswell and George C. Wiswell Jr. Associate Professor of American Constitutional Law Joseph Reisert: "Montesquieu said, 'Freedom consists in the opinion people have of their own security.' Fear robs people of their freedom, yet the question is whether we feel safer with the act than without it. The Justice Department has been less than cooperative under questioning, but what Congress passes, it can repeal. Academics can investigate the effects of the act so representatives may be better informed. I am worried about how the law impacts aliens, although it can be argued that we established a constitution to promote our own welfare and security, not that of others. . . . I do fear [the measures] may make too many people resent us and our government to justify any gain in security. I am grateful for the vigilance of fellow citizens who protest, file lawsuits, organize petitions, mobilize the electorate . . . doing that work to keep an eye on the government and to guard our liberties."

Associate Professor of History Raffael Scheck: "The Patriot Act cannot be compared to events in Germany under Hitler. I think it can be criticized for infractions on civil rights, but a comparison would frivolously belittle the extent of Nazi terror with its systematic and partially legalized torture and murder. The general direction of the act may not be incompatible with democracy and freedom, but individual provisions and their execution need to be analyzed with care."

Director of the Colby Libraries Clem Guthro: "International students are my concern. 'Mohammed' is more likely to be watched than 'Clem.' Colby has no sign posted informing students of the library's legal obligation to comply with the act. It's something to think about, and perhaps we should have a policy in conjunction with the administrative vice president. With predominantly academic holdings, books are not the issue . . . we don't have a lot on how to build bombs! For Colby, the issue is Internet based. Yet the Internet has always been public. That the authorities are able to track people is a good thing, but what is being done is not good. The IP addresses, for instance, were established for one purpose, but now they are being used for another entirely. The Patriot Act went further than it needed to go."

Associate Dean of Students for International Affairs Sue McDougal: "There's a negative impact on foreign student enrollments. I don't know of any students being investigated, although I was contacted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and given criteria by which to judge which students needed to be registered. Four were registered and will continue to be tracked by Immigration. Colby had a site visit from the federal government to institute an electronic system for data gathering called The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The government has direct access to that, so the College may not be aware of any investigations. Previously, officials had to request information from the College. Personally, I am skeptical about the intent of DHS. . . . They are spending a lot of time on legitimate people and not on those who are the real problem."