In the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Towers, the Pentagon, and what would have been the target of fourth plane diverted by the heroic actions of its passangers, the U.S. Congress quickly passed the USA Patriot Act, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. It seems that the Act was passed prior to its printing and before it could have possibly been read by members of Congress.
In times of civil distress and war, the U.S. Congress has in the past, taken that opportunity to expand the powers of the state -- in particular, its police institutions -- at the expense of the constitutional rights of citizens. The anxiety and hysteria of war, the high tide of emotions, has upon occasion made this expansion of police powers much easier than it might have been in less stressful times.
For earlier examples of this process:
In addition, subsequent revelations of government spying on citizens in the 1950s and 1960, led to the Congressional ban against domestic spying on Americans by the Central Intelligence or the National Security Agency. If you were paying attention during the Fall and Spring, there were concerns in Congress over the expanded powers of domestic surveilance and investigation as interpreted by Attorney General Ashcroft and the Justice Department, which many feared would turn back the clock to a time before those prohibitions against domestic spying were put into place.
For opinions on the potential impact on your rights of privacy, free speech, and related issues, see the following websites.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation , analysis of the impact of the Patriot Act on your privacy. The Center for Constitutional Rights The American Civil Liberties Union Freedom Network The American Civil Liberties Union and what this Act does for the CIA The American Civil Liberties Union Files Legal Challenge to the Patriot Act The American Civil Liberties Union: Patriot II and how it will further erode your freedoms American Libraries Association Truthout: the USA Patriot Act Walt Brasch: The Patriot Act and Free Speech Professor Susan Herman: THE USA PATRIOT ACT AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: LOSING OUR BALANCES? Justin Raimondo: It Can Happen Here Lisa M. Bowman: Patriot Act said to hinder Net freedoms Center for Democracy and Technology The Libertarian Party: New compromise "Patriot Act" is still a threat to civil liberties Patricia Williams: The New USA PATRIOT Act
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Last updated: Ides of September, 2002