The Patriot Act!

There has been a lot said about the Patriot Act, so I decided to put up a link to the Act's text and links to various analyses of the Act:


The Patriot Act]
www.epic.org...

Analyses and Commentary
news.com.au...

www.lifeandliberty.gov...

www.aclu.org...

www.fincen.gov...

www.repealnow.com...

www.cdt.org...

www.cato.org...

www.counterpunch.org...

www.livejournal.com...

www.librarylaw.com...


[edit on 04/9/5 by GradyPhilpott]

It's funny how they named this the Patriot Act. I think someone who'd support this Act would be very unpatriotic. Of course, there are parts that are needed, but there is a large portion left for abuse. The act mutilates our constitution when it attacks freedom of privacy and freedom of due process, among terrorizing immigrants.

Here are some pages of Patriot Act abuse:

www.sg1archive.com...

www.dailytexanonline.com... /news/2003/09/14/StateLocal/Critics.Cite.Patriot.Act.Abuse.And.Misuse-465391.shtml

usgovinfo.about.com...

www.cbsnews.com...

talkleft.com...

vek.perlmonk.org...

www.arkansasnbc.com...

www.guardian.co.uk...

www.foxnews.com...

What the Patriot Act allows:

www.eff.org...

The legislation just keeps on coming:

Republican House leaders, in an intense last-minute effort, pressured almost a dozen Republicans to switch their votes and save a controversial provision of the USA Patriot Act that allows the FBI to monitor people's reading, e-mail and Internet habits at public libraries.

The effort, including more than doubling the usual time for the roll call vote, generated outrage from those trying to change the library provision, who argued the House leadership again manipulated the rules to help President Bush's re-election effort

www.sfgate.com.../c/a/2004/07/09/MNG QC7IV231.DTL




By the way Grady, I was curious, do you believe in a conspiracy?

[edit on 5-9-2004 by Jamuhn]

Why do people think the government is above a conspiracy. I mean after all they accuse us of it all the time. Like conspiracy to committ fraud. Conspiracy to committ murder, etc. Why not this? Why not "conspiracy to dismantle the constitution"

Jamuhn,

Not matter how many times you put it in black and white and spelled out in simple terms some still believe that the patriot act is the best thing that happened to America because bush say so.

Originally posted by Jamuhn

By the way Grady, I was curious, do you believe in a conspiracy?

That's too broad a question to address. Do I believe in conspiracy? Yes. Do I believe that there are conspiracies afoot? You better believe it, but the difference between me and the average ATS member is that I see the conspiracies as coming from the left. I have not always believed this way, but personal experience has shown me the light. This does not, however, mean that we must not be vigilent against conspiracies from the right. We must be ever vigilent.

I believe that the structure of our government makes widespread enduring conspiracies less likely than they might be in other nations. It's an ingenious and unique system we have inherited. We must do everything we can to protect it.

I do not see conspiracy in everything and I try to execise some restraint and common sense. Fear and greed are the breeding grounds for rampant conspiracy theories. I have few fears and I have never been greedy.

P. S. The conspiracies that concern me most are the ones carried out by leftist college professors, activist judges, and biased media.


[edit on 04/9/5 by GradyPhilpott]

Ah ok Grady. I have never seen you express belief in at least one conspiracy so I was curious. Honestly, I believe conpiracy comes from the left and the right. I believe that both parties are conspiring to make the government bigger and stronger to take away power and responsibility from the citizens and use this power for nefarious purposes. What nefarious purposes? money-related in my opinion. When I see that 75% of US Presidents come from bloodlines of Kings, I start getting skeptical. Not to mention our last election and this one will involve two cousins.

But anyway, glad to hear you don't think everyone on ATS is crazy LOL. So what do you think about the Patriot Act?

[edit on 5-9-2004 by Jamuhn]

Clinton Administration had I believe the Omnibus Ant-Terrorism act after the first WTC bombing in '93. It was shot down. So while repealing our rights does seem to be the goal of the government, it's not only coming from the 'left' or the 'right.'

What is wrong witht the patriot act? Isn't it unbeleivable how those foreigners flew the planes into the pentagon. They were in America enjoying all of their freedom. You could do anything in America without fear of persecution. Thanks to Americas openness we were attacked by domestic terrorists. Those hijackers were not foreigners they were in America for months and years prior to the September 11th attacks. It is time to start making people afraid of what they do in America. Too long have we sat by unafraid of the governments eye. No longer will you be able to pursue a supicious agenda without the American government watching you. If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear. If you are hiding something then you will be hunted down and jailed,deported,killed or you might even disappear without a trace...........HAHAHA I love the American government, that's why I am joining it.:

Wow dude, if you are serious I'd recommend some therapy LOL. I'd also recommend you read the Patriot Act abuse links I put up. These are all innocent people or people that have nothing to do with terrorism being affected by the Patriot Act.

I'm glad to see the government is going to start trying people in Guantanomo Bay instead of just throwing them in a jail and calling them a terrorist.

Once again, people who SHOULD have nothing to fear are being affected by this legislation. AND, this act is used for matters not even relating to terrorism. Wasn't that the fear of the Act to begin with...I mean who wants terrorists.

I have never given much thought to the Patriot Act. I believe that in times of war we are called upon to make some sacrifices. It is my understanding the act is temporary and must be renewed periodically. I believe that the law-abiding have little to fear from it. I intend to read it and give a more informed opinion.

[edit on 04/9/5 by GradyPhilpott]

A sacrifice is one thing like maybe living with energy rations. But to gut the constution is unacceptable no matter what time in history it is.That makes our government the enemy as much as bin Laden.

If I am a slave there is a chance I may be free once more but if I am dead there is no chance I will live again. I would rather be a slave and live then a free man and die. Oh and yes Jamuhn I am serious. Beware the Gestapo is coming for you!

[edit on 9/5/2004 by verfed]

Hey, at least you are honest. Can't say I support it, but I always respect somehow who is truthful.

LOL, oh no! Bring it on baby!

[edit on 5-9-2004 by Jamuhn]

I feel the love.............I think Eh whatever its all good.

Can somebody tell me just what is the Patriot Act

GradyPhilpott'

You are right it's not the patriot act but the way it leaves ways in which can be abused not by the law-abiding citizens but by the law enforcement itself.

In addition you have a Justice department secretary that while we are discussing the patriot act he is making laws that affect this nation and his citizens under the patriot act umbrella.

Originally posted by marg6043
In addition you have a Justice department secretary that while we are discussing the patriot act he is making laws that affect this nation and his citizens under the patriot act umbrella.

The Justice Department does not make laws. That is the domain of the Legislative Branch of government and, sadly, all too often, the Judical Branch by activist judges who presume to reinterpret the Constitution.

The Patriot Act could not have become law without a two-thirds majority of both the House and the Senate and the signature of the President. It is impossible to lay blame for the Patriot Act at the feet of one Party or the other, much less one man.

It became law because the time merited it to become aproved but half of the same people that vote for it never really took the time to read it to the fullest, and they trusted that it will never become abused, but the nature of humans when it come to power is usually with tendency to abuse.

Originally posted by marg6043
It became law because the time merited it to become aproved but half of the same people that vote for it never really took the time to read it to the fullest, and they trusted that it will never become abused,

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Still, you are attributing to the Legislative Branch negligence on a grand scale. I'm not sure that the votes needed to pass this law would have ever been realized had there not been sufficient understanding by the Legislators.

Did it upset you when the Congress passed a law banning firearms on the basis of their being ugly and the ban known as the assault weapons ban was signed into law?

The Patriot Act in these dire times is far less harmful to freedom than the incremental efforts by the left to render the Second Amendment obsolete? Where is the ACLU and the far left when this right is trampled on?

[edit on 04/9/6 by GradyPhilpott]

Well there you got it is not what the people of this country wants anymore but what the administration any administration seem to believe what is the countries best interest, now to me this is abuse of power and disregard of the people's wishes.