Patriot Act Pros And Cons Essay

After the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, many Americans were fearful of what the future held. Enacted as a response to those attacks, and as a way to re-instill a sense of security to the nation, American legislators worked to pass the USA Patriot Act of 2001. The Patriot Act appropriately made changes to other U.S. laws to combat terrorism, however it also established measures that may potentially hinder the rights of those it was designed to protect, sparking controversy regarding privacy and governmental power over the lives of private citizens. The United States has always been regarded as the freest nation on Earth; a place where all people would be allowed to work hard and reap the benefits of that work, without
As the Patriot was enacted so quickly, and with little oversight, a full review with the complete participation of Congress could allow for positive revisions. Without losing the major benefits, such as increased security and safety for our nations citizens, collective law enforcement cooperation and information sharing, and speeding up investigations by making legitimate use of surveillance easier to enact, taking another look at this incredibly powerful law is imperative. Allowing government authority to surpass that which the Constitution allows is completely contradictory to the founders intentions, and to the principles on which this nation was founded. As stated by Benjamin Franklin in his Pennsylvania Assembly Reply to the Governor, “those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” (Franklin, 1755). This is important to remember, as our nation becomes more accepting of tighter scrutiny in our private lives, all in the name of safety and security. Our world is changing, to be certain, though the extent in which we allow that change is solely in our hands, we, the people of the United