FBI broke law for years in phone record searches

[142EBC]

Honest point here... I'd like to hear both sides in a civil, open minded manner.

We need to protect ourselves from terrorists. Although I don't want my private life made public, I have nothing to hide. Also, out of all the possible phone records that could have been illegally collected, 2000 doesn't seem like that many, in light of an inexact science such as intel gathering. How many of those 2000 records were used to do anything illegal or unethical to the individual to which they belonged?

What alternative is available to find terrorists other than covert surveillance? As has been said so many times, Freedom isn't Free; that doesn't just apply to those who have paid in war, but also to those enjoying peace at home. There is a price we all need to pay to maintain our liberty.

Alternatives?

Mike