Tread with due caution on homeland security

(Chapel Hill News; Feb 2003; Martha Gwyn)

The proposed federal Department of Homeland Security appears huge, powerful and costly. It needs careful scrutiny by Congress and the public before coming to a vote.

• It must have democratic controls and be responsive to the public. Employees should be civil servants who qualify for supervising the safety of citizens and visitors. As civil servants they are entitled to join a union and participate in collective bargaining.
• I hear that corporations are already establishing themselves in Washington, ready to sell the government endless technologies to make us feel safe and make us rapidly identifiable. The technologies that appear most successful are subject to failure. It is people capable of making informed decisions who provide the real security.
• In our democracy people must be fully informed. The studies and discussions that occur in Congress are essential. Presently, Americans are being bombarded by sound-bite propaganda, and administrative plans are being put into place without warning. Congress is being pushed to act as directed with unprecedented speed.

I urge Congress to protect our democratic ways and practice its constituional authority to make decisions that meet real needs and that are fair to employees and citizens.