Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 22:53:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: belmonte@MIT.EDU (Matthew Belmonte)
To: john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov
Subject: please co-sponsor S.1552, the Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act

Dear Senator Kerry

Twenty-two months ago, you made the mistake of voting for the USA
PATRIOT Act.  I hope that you'll now consider reversing that mistake
by co-sponsoring S.1552, the Protecting the Rights of Individuals
Act.  By amending the very vague and expansive language used in the
USA PATRIOT Act, this important legislation would restore some of the
force of the Bill of Rights.  S.1552 would limit secret searches,
strengthen judicial review, and narrow the legal definition of
`terrorism,' in order to limit misuse of USA PATRIOT powers.
It would limit access to private records, restrict area-wide monitoring
of telephones and computers, limit the use of data-mining technologies,
and allow accused persons to be confronted with classified evidence
against them.  All of these provisions of S.1552 should be viewed as
self-evident consequences of the Bill of Rights.  It's a shame that the
United States needs legislation in order to realise them.

Sincerely

Matthew Belmonte
[address]