After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 the United States became a very different place. This drastic change was caused by the initial emotional reactions that American citizens, as well as government leaders had towards the tragic event. The government, in an effort to assure that these events never happen again passed the USA PATRIOT Act, which is an acronym that stands for the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act. The major goal of this act is to combat terrorism by giving the government more leeway in what areas they are allowed to use their surveillance tools and also to what circumstances these tools can be used. The major issue that arise with this act are the fact that many of the act can be seen as unconstitutional.
In Nancy Chang’s article, USA PATRIOT Act: What’s So Patriotic About Trampling on the Bill of Rights?, she explains all the changes that the act has made, specifically in terms of the language that the act itself uses to describe it’s new power (2001:1-15) . Chang’s description of the act, in its entirety, is that the act was “hastily- drafted, complex, and far-reaching legislation” which explains why the language in this act is so controversial (2001:1). The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is defined by Richard H. Robbins as the idea that there is an explicit link between the grammar of language and the culture of the people who speak that
Congress ushered in the Patriot Act by arming law enforcement with new tools to detect and prevent terrorism by expanding federal officials’ powers to keep tabs on our personal information, from credit card use to cell phone calls to car travel. It allows investigators to use the tools that were
One of the most controversial issues to come forth from the post 9/11 era is the Patriot Act. This is a law that was passed by congress to help the intelligence agencies and the executive branch succeed in their counter terrorism efforts. Also, "To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools and other reasons(Patriot Act)."
Public Law 107-56 otherwise known as the USA PATRIOT Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. USA PATRIOT Act is an acronym which stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act. (justice.gov) This law was instated in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The Islamic terrorist group known as Al-Qaeda, coordinated four different plane hijackings killing 2,996 people, and injuring 6,000+ others. (9/11 memorial.org) Just weeks after the attacks congress rushed to pass this bill, passing the senate 98 to 1, and the house 357 to 66 (justice.gov), so that we can have more security controls within the United States. It gives the United States government the same powers and tools used to investigate organized crime and drug trafficking in decades prior, to investigate current suspected terrorist. The Patriot act has several different titles that cover different grounds, all which have the same purpose of preventing future acts of terrorism. The patriot act allows the government to track and intercept any form of electronic communications of suspected terrorist in order to prevent any acts of terror, and also for intelligence gathering. The act also aids the government in securing borders, and removing those that are here with the intent to cause harm.
On September 11th, 2001 the future of the United States changed forever. With almost 3,000 people dying from a terrorist attack that spanned the Eastern U.S., new tactics had to be created to prevent an event like this from ever happening again. Forty-five days after the attack, the USA Patriot Act was passed (Source 5). While only some Americans approved of it, the act was created to protect from terrorism across the country.
According to internet, The Patriot Act was a U.S. law passed in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Its goals were to strengthen domestic security and broaden the
September 11, 2001 sparked many different feelings into the hearts of Americans. People sprang into action to seek revenge and protect America’s precious soils from another deadly attack by reinforcing America’s strength through her government. The men and women of Congress retaliated to the terrorist attacks by drafting and passing the USA PATRIOT Act on October 26, 2001, which stands for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.” The bill was moved through Congress with amazing speed and little hesitation. After the passing, the unsuspecting citizens of America were bombarded with many new rules and regulations that
The Patriot Act was signed into law on October 26, 2001 by President George W. Bush. The act expanded the surveillance capability of both domestic law enforcement and international intelligence agencies. When this law was passed it was under the assumption “to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes” (The USA Patriot). The Patriot Act has given the government the power to spy on the average American through monitoring phone records and calls, gaining banking and credit information, and even track a person’s internet activity. This is an unbelievable amount of power intelligence agencies wield all under the umbrella of national security. This power has gone too far, is unjustified, unconstitutional, and infringes on the privacy of the
The USA PATRIOT Act was a piece of legislation that was signed into law to address the realities of modern terrorism. The new breed of terrorism was sophisticated and used new technologies that, according to the President, “were not available at the time that the existing laws were written”, he said in his speech during the bill signing press event on October 26. 2001; a fair argument. He said “The bill before me takes account of the new realities and dangers posed by modern terrorists” and the Patriot Act was “an essential step in defeating terrorism while protecting the constitutional rights of all Americans”. But how does the Patriot Act do that? How does it protect the constitutional rights of Americans? How does it help defeat
The Patriot Act, an act passed by Congress in 2001 that addressed the topic of privacy in terrorist or radical situations, is controversial in today's society. Although it helps with protection against terroristic events, The Patriot Act is not fair, nor is it constitutional, because it allows the government to intrude on citizens' privacy, it gives governmental individuals too much power, and because the act is invasive to the 4th amendment right. To further describe key points in the act, it states that it allows investigators to use the tools that were already available to investigate organized crime and drug trafficking, and it allows law enforcement officials to obtain a search warrant anywhere a terrorist-related activity occurred.
On the recovery from the 9/11 attacks, the act institutes a new authority that America had not seen before. The act is all about the prevention of attacks not reacting to them. In addition, it has done more; broadening its influence to almost all crime, it convicts not only terrorists, but also drug lords, cyber attackers, and even thefts. The act also implemented a new and more efficient way of investigation and conviction. The PATRIOT Act is protecting what it means to be American. In the wise words of George Washington, "To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving
The USA PATRIOT Act stands for "Uniting and Reinforcing America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Block Terrorism." This action came into effect 45 days after more than 3,000 American lives were lost to a 9/11 terrorist attack
The Patriot Act of 2001 was originally intended to protect citizens against further terrorism after the September 11 attacks. It was passed due to the overwhelming amount of support for the federal government from the public. This act made it easier for the government to attack the funding networks upon which terrorist organizations depended upon. The Patriot Act also encouraged various intelligence-gathering agencies, such as the CIA, and law-enforcement groups, like the FBI, to share information about suspected terrorists. Although some may argue that the Usa Patriot Act was beneficial in protecting the United States against further terrorism, the Usa Patriot Act was and still is, a restraint on constitutional rights. This act violates the Fourth Amendment, infringes on the First Amendment, and has been used by the federal government to abuse their power.
Terrorism in the world is getting worse by the day, we keep getting more threats to our country. Finally our leaders found an act that allows more security for our country. This act helps us control terrorism in our country. The USA Patriot Act involves the war on terrorism and the threats they make against us. With this act, law enforcement can search houses and any place that is suspected of terrorist acts.
On September 11th, 2001 the twin towers in New York City were struck by two airlines killing thousands of people. In response to this attack Congress organized the USA Patriot Act. Its goal was to monitor the internet for signs of possible terrorist attacks. The act claims to investigate domestic terrorism, but does it? This act has recently come under fire due to this question. These laws have been around since the 70’s and 80’s, but never grouped together as the Patriot Act does (Gilbert). Now, due to daily internet use the act is more prevalent than ever. Although the Patriot Act has come under fire, it should not be repealed. The act has become relevant since the new technologies and it is only the first step to end domestic terror.
The Patriot Act is a U.S. law passed because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The goals of the Patriot Act are to strengthen national security and broaden the powers of law-enforcement agencies with regards to identifying and stopping terrorists (Justice). The passing and renewal of the Patriot Act has been extremely controversial. Supporters claim that it's been helpful in several investigations and arrests of terrorists, while others argue the act gives the government too much power, threatens civil liberties and weakens the very democracy it seeks to protect (Smith). I believe the patriot act is an invasion of privacy and it belittles our fourth amendment.