Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Adam Y.
I know this may sound really stupid but... Can anyone tell me any abuse because of the Patriot act? Everyone always complains about it yet no one has cited one occurance in which it's happened.
|
There are many examples of the powers granted by the Patriot act being used and infringing in ways that previously would have been considered illegal. Moores latest movie touches briefly on this, and has a few cases as examples. Some further research would be easy enough on your part, if this interests you.
What worrys me are not the cases of infringement that we know about. It's the ones we don't. That is after all what the Patriot act allows for, violation of the 4th amendment with out any notice or record (among other things). In the good old days, back when that fourth item down on the bill of rights still had some meaning, a law enforcement agency would have to get a court to agree that someone's home needed to be searched or their phones tapped. These days, my library record could be searched, my phones tapped, my email scanned, my house searched, and all with out me ever knowing. I could be held in detention with out being charged or having legal counsel. And why? Well, Alvarenga (my last name) kinda sounds arabic to some (why I will never know).
Seriously, that could be all the justification it would take. The Patriot act allows for gross violation of your civil rights with out anyone’s knowledge for little or no reason. Is it always abused? No, probably not. But it has, it is, and will be abused. Furthermore, I haven’t heard of one case were a terrorist was arrested because of information that could have only be gathered because of the Patriot act.
Even the name annoys me. 'Call it the Patriot act and no one will be able to vote against it. How can you vote against something so patriotic sounding? Besides, if he does, that will just sound great in next years campaign against him!'
And people call me cynical.
-Andy A.