The Patriot Act And Civil Liberties

The Patriot Act and Civil Liberties

Civil liberties and freedoms are a fundamental part of America, and the lives of its citizens. Americans believe that they are born with these rights, and that nobody, not even the government who provides these rights, can take them away. Some people are willing to give up some of these freedoms for safety, but many have grown used to them and will not accept any infringement into their lives. The events of 9/11 are a major contributing factor to relinquishing of some of these rights by citizens for the protection of freedom and of the country. They believe that the government knows how to protect them from terrorists, but their rights will not be violated like those of a terrorist. Acts like the Patriot

A police chief, David Dial, believes that the government is right to renew the Patriot Act and not use the Justice Act, which would have lessened the government’s power. He says that there is nothing wrong with the Patriot Act, and he believes it protects the citizens of the United States from terrorism (Dial). A newer development in the legislation of the Patriot Act is the USA Freedom Act, which finally limits parts of the Patriot Act. Even the White House Administration is a fan of the new, middle of the road approach that is offered by the Freedom Act. Although not all the articles that are protested are removed, they are limited to appease the American people (Hattem). Finally, in a Texas Law Review, Ronald Sievert claims that people who oppose the Patriot Act have no way to defend their opposition to the Act. He believes that people and organizations like the ACLU are misinformed by the media and the internet about what the Patriot Act actually does. He says the Patriot Act is created in part to increase communication between the FBI, NSA, and CIA. Another claim the ACLU has made is that the government can look at your email accounts and computer without a warrant, which Sievert again says is false. He also claims that the ACLU, which believes that sneak-and-peek warrants exist, are confused about the Patriot Act and other legislation on the topic. Another

During times of war, there is a national crisis to protect the country and the citizens living in it. Secrecy of military endeavors is of utmost importance, and disclosing facts about these topics could lose a war or risk millions of lives. The government takes away people 's rights in order to protect the country. Many people argue against the suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus, and the Espionage and Sedition acts.

During the Civil War, Lincoln suspends the writ of Habeas Corpus. He arrests thousands of people from Washington DC to New York, and holds them without charges. When questioned, he claims that he is protecting public safety in a time of rebellion. He believes he has the authority to take any measure to subdue the South (Mattocks). Lincoln justifies his actions by saying that he must disregard the Constitution to save the nation and therefore save the Constitution