A02
Signed into
legislation during the fall of 2001, the Patriot Act was a topic of controversy
given the breach of security and liberty that the government imposed on US
citizens. In conjunction with the Patriot II, the Patriot Act appears to extend
far too much authority than what is necessary to deter terrorist attacks. For
example, this law allows FBI to wiretap any political advocacy organizations on
the basis of preventing “domestic violence;” thus, even a group, such as one
that supports gay rights, is not even safe from surveillance. However, this
compromise of security does not end here, as even law enforcement can enter
one’s home without a warrant. One’s personal information on the Internet—from
emails to social network messages—are also at risk for being compromised by the
intelligence agency.
The
political cartoon above accurately describes the paranoia that the government
possessed in response to the September 11 attacks. The United States government,
repudiating the vision its forefathers had, believed that peace of mind could
be achieved by restricting its citizens’ liberty. Of course, one could very
well infer that people did not take this news lightly as now they were
confronted a new problem to deal with—the relentless stare of the “Big Brother”
FBI.
Question: Why is it important to be updated with key
legislation? What are some repercussions the Patriot Act still has to this very
day?
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