People in the United States value their civil rights; it gives them a sense of freedom. Without additional security measures to sustain that freedom, they will have no civil rights to value. The civil liberties the U.S. proudly exhibits, comes with a price.
After the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, President Bush pushed congress to pass the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act allows law enforcement to arrest and prosecute suspected people for associating with groups or individuals the U.S. classifies as terrorist. With this new act, law enforcement has “enormous leeway” in tapping phones, conducting spontaneous property searches, freezing financial assets, detaining suspects, and deporting immigrants.
Shawn Rhea, expresses concern over our civil rights, particularly our right to protest. Recently, Nelson Mandela visited the White House where he was mentioned to be a “symbol of freedom and courage.” Ironically, in the mid- 80’s, the United States openly categorized Mandela and his political group, the African National Congress, as terrorist. Rhea argued his point of view saying, “Had a Patriot Act had been in affect 20 years ago, thousands of U.S. college students who supported Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress, and who were active the anti-apartheid movement here, could have been tried for terrorist activities.”
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) said, “Members were given just two hours to review this very complex 200 page document before casting their vote.” Rhea states that the U.S. government was premature in passing the Patriot Act, declaring it to be a “controversial package of anti-terrorism legislation.”
The Essay on Civil disobedience 3
Civil Disobedience: An Essay Civil disobedience helps democracy because it provides a means to insure that which is just and that which is right will prevail. Democracy, founded on the principle of rule of the majority, cannot always insure that justice and rightness are maintained in the laws which guide it. As Thoreau (1849) assessed law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of the ...
These newly created laws might show some indication of potentially violating our civil rights instead of protecting them; but only if analyzed improperly. People should not view these laws as our government’s undemocratic effort to exploit their civil liberties. A person should not try to analyze the Patriot Act through terrorist’s perspective. If so, then they will confuse who is meant a targeted and who is meant to be protected. People need to stop thinking as though they are victims of some evil scheme, designed to eradicate their constitutional right.
However, people should feel victimized by misleading influences. If today, we decided to protest for Nelson Mandela and his followers, we would not fall under the Patriot Act. Even if the African National Congress was considered as terrorists, what defined them as terrorists? They did not impose any threat to the security of our nation. Their efforts were aimed towards the dismantlement of segregation in South Africa, not to abolish the United States and its government. In fact, the African National Congress sought out to get the same civil rights Americans lawfully possessed.
The Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and the right to assemble peacefully and to petition the government. The nation is not asking its people to renounce their rights. The Patriot Act is not preventing any person from exercising their civil rights, including their right to protest.
Should one person choose to participate in protest or political movement that clearly supports the collapse of this nation and its people, then the Patriot Act should be enforced to the extent of its abilities. Any individuals suspected of participating or being directly involved in the conspiracy against the United States, that threatens it’s harmony, should be targeted for heavy surveillance and dealt with as a possible terrorist. The tragedy in New York City has proven that we are all vulnerable to a violent terrorist act. The government has no choice but to establish these kinds of laws, in order to collect crucial information that could prevent anymore-catastrophic disasters. Sometimes what you don’t know can hurt you!
The Term Paper on Fertile Crescent People One Government
When we study our past, we see what was and what could have been. Different times, different cultures, and their issues were often not so very different then our own in present days. If we pay enough attention to the past, and it s lessons, the future can be better. As we look toward the future, we must also look backward. History shows us man s failures and successes. If we hope to succeed in the ...
Out of the millions of people that live in the United States today, how many do you think actually have declared a “Holy War” on America? The government is not going to tap every phone in this country. It will not classify everyone as a terrorist, just those that arouse suspicion around them. If you are not doing anything wrong, then what is there to worry about?
Many people do not agree with the Patriot Act, but you can not make everyone happy. The act was passed for a reason; it was passed for the safety of this nation. If we want to keep our freedom, civil liberties, or even the right to protest against our government for passing a “controversial package of anti-terrorism legislation,” then tougher laws are necessary.