PATRIOT Act
Signing of the patriot act into law took place on October 26, 2001 by President George W. Bush; it was a tool meant intercept and obstructs terrorism (Brodt, Steven, and Brian Byers, 2005). The act was passed when fear, hatred, anger and distrust flourished in the dawn of the unprecedented terrorist attack of September 11. The law has a broad scope of measures that are aimed at improving surveillance on terror activities, combating money laundering, sharing information and improving national security (Brodt, Steven, and Brian Byers, 2005). The patriotic act had insinuation of its kind in the United States. The implications were on both on the financial institutions, society and private sector. This paper will discuss how the patriotic act has impacted on the society, immigration and how US citizens perceived the act (Brodt, Steven, and Brian Byers, 2005).
The act gives terrorism a new definition, even US citizens who associate with activities that endanger other citizens life are branded domestic terrorist (Zeljack, 2004). According to the Patriotic Act, student's right to gather can be compromised if security forces deem the assembling as suspicious. Scholars and Academician have questioned some controversial issues with an intention limiting the rate at which the act overrides student's privacy. Moreover, the Act has cultured a society where paranoia and suspicion are the order of everyday business. In this case, the citizens are both the watchers and at the watched (Brodt, Steven, and Brian Byers, 2005).
Immigration and foreign intelligence are other areas greatly affected by the Patriotic Act. Under Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA), The FBI has clearance to access all the private details of any person suspected to be a terrorist across the globe. The FBI under the act has the capability to gather data without a court warrant. This eliminates judicial supervision, which interferes with people rights and privacy (Brodt, Steven, and Brian Byers, 2005). The Patriotic Act takes immigration policies of US and other countries as a postscript. Though the immigration policy is a dogmatic quicksand, the Patriotic Act improves efficiency of identifying, excluding and prosecuting aliens with terror like intentions and those who collaborates with terrorist. Organizations, Children and spouse who can be linked with terrorist acts are also dealt with in an appropriate manner.
In conclusion, the patriotic Act disdains, various basic human rights moreover it creates a room for both racial and ethnic profiling. The act has led the American nation to a path where people will not have the right to be different. Furthermore, the Act is but a reminder of irrational decisions, made under pressure, rush judgement and hysteria. Being different should not be abhorred but upheld as part of national heritage.
Work Cited
American Civil Liberties Union (2004). Conservative voices against the USA PATRIOT Act. Conservative voices against PATRIOT Act II.
American Civil Liberties Union (2002). How the USA PATRIOT Act puts the CIA back in the business of spying on Americans.
Brodt, Steven, and Brian Byers (2005). Vindication of Patriot Act actions. Paper presented to the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Chicago, Illinois
USA PATRIOT Act, Pub. L. No. 107-56 § 203, 115 Stat. 272 at 279 (2001).
Zeljak, C. (2004). Information resources: The USA Patriot Act. Problems of post-Communism, 51, 63-65.
