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RSS FeedDoes the US Patriot Act undermine Americans' freedoms?
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| Yes | 73% | 181 votes | Total: 247 votes | |
| No | 27% | 66 votes |
Yes
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Add to Favorites "Those who are willing to give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither, and will lose both." Benjamin Franklin uttered those words centuries ago, as our nation was thrust into the American Revolution. He , and our other forefathers understood the importance of civil liberties, and the need to retain them under ANY circumstances, even war!
In the post 9/11 fear, our president , his administration and congress curtailed the very essence of our democracy with the United States Patriot Act! Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows a third party access to our personal records, be it: financial, church, phone, business, video game rental, travel, and even our library cards! Section 505 further advocates that those records can be obtained WITHOUT judicial oversight or probable cause. Some experts say that Section 213 can be used to illegally search your home, car, and personal effects at any time (there goes the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution!) Other sections allow "tap and trace" of your phone records, eavesdropping on conversations. I mean, how do you know someone isn't tapping YOUR phone? Citizens can be detained for lengthy periods (such as an airport) without criminal backgrounds.
This would be considered treason of the American government in the past. It is a violation of the search and seizure laws / rights constitutionally afforded to every American citizen.
What we must remember, also, is that this law is futile against terrorism! Some of the 9/11 perpetrators had fashioned knives and boxcutters! What is next, making sure you have a background check at the grocery and hardware stores before you buy supplies? There are more prudent, intelligent ways to discourage terrorism. As a nation, we need to be alert, and cautious, but there is no need to encroach upon our Constitutional rights and liberties. Acting on fear, and taking away the very basic ideals of our country leaves us weak and downtrodden, which means the terrorists may have already won. And THAT kind of America should be the most frightening scenerio of ALL!
Learn more about this author, Elise Warren.
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No
Americans will have to stop swallowing the politically motivated idea that the Patriot Act is in place to undermine their freedoms. Freedom is a relative term when one considers that for many moons the government has been privy to their personal life. In fact, commercial companies of all kinds are also "in the know" about your buying habits, how much money you may have on hand for a real estate loan, how much money you make for tax purposes and whats your preference for a personal automobile.
The list goes on and on. Big brother, if he wanted to, may take the remote and click up unimaginable personal information on almost anyone. Then it may be massaged through computer programs to extract information you may not have known in your lifetime. Information about you! However, one would doubt that big brother would want to watch you in the nude, unless your a 10 and if you are a 10 you probably would welcome the admiration. One would also doubt that the mundane life of most citizens would be worth a seconds worth of ogling. Those in control of the monitoring methods that exist today are after history making information of the grandiose type. Or money making information that may be of use. Not your $1,500 in the local branch of B of A. This does not mean that we should not want to protect our freedoms but, we should put this task into perspective.
The Patriot Act was put into place to protect American freedoms. It is hoped that prevention of one having to worry about having a wild eyed religious zealot blow up the building or shopping mall at your location. The war on terrorism is a reality. Americans are the target of any mass killing or onesie twosie killings which are newsworthy and create terror. It is hoped that one will not have to stand with feet glued to the floor while watching as many did when the twin towers were pulverized.
There is a realization that we are not invincible and not totally protected from a growing war of terror. The sad fact is that we must stop the Iranian terror related
killers from advancing their cause. We must also find a way to prevent the Iranians from proceeding with nuclear capability. Nuclear capability means by use of missile delivery systems or a second hand "Rent a Truck" driven over American borders. Delivery systems do not necessarily depend on missiles. More effective are smuggling across borders the nuclear bombs for immense destruction. It is more effective because we do not know who to strike and all of our nuclear arsenal is useless. Especially with the current Congressmen in the Congress. In other words, we are sitting ducks. We are a mass of target rich sites. Just as a lethal germ may end the existence of a human body once it has entry to the internal locations, the U.S. could be easily defeated by incursions of this type accompanied by our own indecision.
Therefore, let's stop pussy footing around and realize the real loss of freedoms is having to worry about some terrorist feeding your children to a tree shredder or being beheaded at the mere whim of some Islamic fanatic. That is real loss of freedom. The Patriot Act is a preventative tool for our government to prevent real loss of freedom.
Learn more about this author, Lou Rountree.
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