The American tradition of free speech is under attack across the country, as law enforcement agencies -- under the guise of the war on terror -- intimidate ordinary citizens into silence.

The videotaping by Melbourne police of 36 demonstrators outside City Hall protesting President Bush's inauguration is just one more in a series of such intolerable incidents nationwide.

Similar surveillance has been reported in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco and in small and large cities across America -- and it must end.

"I can't believe this is happening in our country," said Rebecca Boettcher, one of the Melbourne protesters and the mother of a former Marine who served in Iraq.

Boettcher, 57, was near tears as she and five others named in a Brevard County Sheriff's Office report on the Jan. 20 demonstration went to the sheriff's Melbourne office Monday.

They were seeking the files deputies had secretly collected on them -- files the department must deliver, completely and promptly.

And they wanted to know why the sheriff's report tagged them as "persons of interest."

Of interest for what?

"Protesting in an anti-government assembly," says sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Andrew Walters.

In other words, the sheriff's department calls a peaceful expression of opinion about Bush's policy on Iraq, Social Security and the environment "an anti-government assembly."

And considering the group included moms with kids, a woman in a wheelchair and people up to age 85, Sheriff Jack Parker's claim that they might be "here to harm our community" is both absurd and a dangerous indication of police's abuse-of-power mindset.

In case Parker and Walters slept through civics class, let us remind them:

Such activities are the true essence of a pro-government demonstration -- as in government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

And if 36 citizens showing concern over Bush's policies is enough for law enforcement to videotape, follow home and create dossiers on them, then where does law enforcement draw the line?

Nearly half of all voters last November expressed opposition to the Bush administration at the polling booth.

Are they next?

The recent rise in government surveillance of constitutionally protected freedom of expression is reminiscent of one of the ugliest times in our history:

The 1950s McCarthy era, when random witch hunts by Sen. Joe McCarthy ruined decent people's lives on false or flimsy accusations that they had spoken favorably of communism, or knew people who had.

Whatever their politics, Americans today should be appalled that law enforcement agencies are -- at the Bush administration's urging -- creating files on people simply for expressing their views.

Such spying on citizens can only undermine our democracy, not strengthen it.

Patriotic voices everywhere should rise to stop this abomination, for the sake of all our freedoms.

© 2005 Florida Today

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