Ridge should watch power abuses

Former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge was recently named Governor of the Office of Homeland Security. Many people have voiced their concerns about this office, but we feel Ridge should help alleviate those concerns. \nHe is the right person for the job, and the OHS under Ridge is going to help the United States. \nYes, people are going to complain and worry about a citizen's privacy and right to free speech. Yes, some of the worries are justified. \nStill, this office is needed. \nThe OHS will streamline the current bureaucracy of government that has caused problems in the past by integrating more than 90 agencies into the office. \nSome analysts said the tragedies of Sept. 11 might have been avoided if government offices with information would have communicated with each other. \nThe CIA, the FBI and many other U.S. sources had information about the plans of Osama bin Laden from intelligence agencies of many foreign nations, according to the World Socialist Web site. \nU.S. officials did not know the full extent of the plans, but they had fragmentary ideas that Middle East terrorists were going to "hijack commercial aircraft to use as weapons" from German intelligence, that 25 terrorist pilots were being specifically trained for suicide missions from Russian intelligence and that the target would be "large-scale" in which Americans would be "very vulnerable."\nThe problem with this information was that each piece was in the hands of different U.S. intelligence agencies. The foreign offices told informants in the FBI, the CIA or the NSA, but these organizations did not talk to each other.\nThe OHS will fix this "confidant" problem. Intelligence pertaining to national security will be handled through this one office so that each agency in the office will be able to easily communicate with one another. Foreign agencies will know which office to turn to when they have information. Even U.S. citizens will know whom to contact when they are worried about possible terrorist activity. \nWe feel the current bureaucratic problems will be cleared up, but we also urge Ridge to look out for citizens' rights.\nThe OHS now has the right to conduct wiretaps and get search warrants and subpoenas for someone suspected of "terrorist activity" under the Patriot Act of 2001. \nWe urge Ridge to define "terrorist activity" more clearly, as many cases already under investigation have been cause for concern. \nThe FBI questioned A.J. Brown, a 19-year-old college student in North Carolina, when a neighbor saw a poster criticizing President George Bush on his use of the death penalty as the Texas governor. The FBI also questioned Barry Reingold after he criticized the war on Afghanistan in his health club's locker room.\nBeing careful is one thing, but oversimplifying "terrorist activity" is something that cannot be allowed -- especially for an office that has the potential to be one of the most influential government offices. The OHS will be a strong force to keep the United States safe. \n-- Ben Cunningham for the Editorial Board