Patriot Act

Imagine a country where at any moment the government can bust down your door and take anything they like because they suspect you of being a terrorist. On October 26, 2001, forty fives days after the terrorist attack from the Islamic group, Al Qaeda on the United States; Congress passed the USA Patriot Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act). The Patriot Act changes the fact that the United States is the land of the free. This act is a threat to America more than a terrorist is due to the fact it provides more consequences than benefits to the individuals of America. The Patriot Act is unethical and unconstitutional making American live in a country of distrust and constant fear.

The Patriot Act violates the United State's Constitution by violating the fourth amendment that prohibits, "unreasonable searches and seizures and requires a warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause" (U.S Constitution amendment IV). In section 215 of the act it states, "The FBI may seize any tangible things (including books, papers, documents, and other items) for an investigation to protect against international terrorism" (USA section 215). It allows the government to search innocent individual's medical records, tax records, library records, and the ability to listen to private phone calls. According to The American Civil Liberties Union , " it allows the government to easily obtain information about you for example the books people read , the web sites they visit , and the religious institutions they attend and support" (Wheeler 4). It gives the government more power of spying on any of its citizens not just the ones accused of being a terrorist. One can become a target of this by simply exercising their first amendment of freedom of speech against the government. Every individual is being watched as if they are living under a microscope. Also, section 213 authorizes law enforcement to conduct a "sneak -and –peek" in U.S resident's home without their consent. An individual may be out doing errands and the government will go in and sneak around to see if they find evidence of them being a terrorist. This law violates checks and balances, normally the government can not search a citizen's residence without obtaining a warrant and demonstrating a reason to believe that the suspect has committed or may have committed a crime. The Patriot Act allows the government to conduct searches without a