The Patriot Act: The Unconstitutional and Abused Act

Bee Lee

Section 2

Week 6

The Patriot Act: The Unconstitutional and Abused Act

       The U.S. Patriot Act was passed after the terrorist attacks of September 11. It expanded the federal law enforcement’s power by allowing the FBI and the CIA to share evidence and by giving terrorism investigators access to evidence gathering tools. Although many Americans felt the act was necessary at that time as they were in fear, others started to question if it was constitutional or not.

       Reading this article, I had strong feelings about the act as I felt the sole purpose of it was to protect U.S. citizens. However as I did more research on the Patriot Act, I started to see how the act is unconstitutional; it violates the fourth amendment and the Privacy Act of 1974. If our government continues to become more authoritarian, could this act be used to suppress the voice of the people and “patriots who wants to live free?” 

As Senator Bernie Sanders stated, "We can fight terrorism without undermining the basic principle and constitutional rights such as the constitution. We do not need legislation, such as the Patriot Act which allows government agents, access to files of American libraries and book sellers without probable cause. We do not need legislation which makes Americans nervous as to whether the U.S. government will be looking over their shoulder in terms of the books they are reading or internet sites they are visiting in a library. We do not need legislation which makes librarians and book stores owners complicit with government in spying on their neighbors. In the United States of America, with our history, with our constitution, with our bill of rights, and with our respect of freedom, we can and must do better than that."