Conservatives should protect liberty

To the editor:

In Sunday's paper Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder purports to answer the question I posed to state Sen. Jason Crowell. Perhaps Crowell, a lawyer, should have spoken for himself. The linchpin of Kinder's response is that warrantless wiretaps of American citizens are lawful. Well, no, they aren't.

The political point Kinder hopes is a winner is that we must give up liberty for security. Goodness knows, weak and fearful people are quick to do that. Brave and free people are not.

I suggest that presidents should follow the law in good times and bad. The president has declared a permanent state of war. Terrorists, after all, always have and always will be with us. If this permanent state of war against terrorism allows all presidents to act without regard to law, we will not like the result.

I keep guns in my home and use them. Presumably, terrorists might break into my home and, heaven forbid, win the gunfight with me and take the guns for themselves. Can the next president, in the name of the permanent war on terrorism, take away my guns to prevent terrorists from getting them? We need more true conservatives in this country -- those who have the courage and conviction to conserve our liberty.

JOHN L. COOK, Cape Girardeau