Five years later, Richards' reflections ring true

Interesting article from today's Austin American Statesman.

"It's the first thing I thought of. The very first thing," Richards told "Eklektikos" host John Aielli that day. "This thing, (this attack), is so awful, so anxious-making, it's going to be used to (do) some things people would have liked to have gotten done a long time ago. That is: to be able to do wiretaps at will, to be able to interfere with immigration. They're going to be questioning a lot of people because of the color of their skin, or their national origin.

"Yeah, that worries me to death. I think we need to be super vigilant that we do not destroy the very tenants that this country was created for."

Just eight weeks after the attacks, Richards was thinking about what many Americans are discussing today — a governmental wiretap policy, the longterm effects of the Patriot Act, the right of Americans to speak freely in dissent.