There’s no Controversy on the Patriot Act. It’s Unconstitutional and it Attacks the Very Freedoms for Which Our Founding Fathers Fought in the American Revolution.

There really shouldn’t be any controversy on the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is unconstitutional and that’s the end of it.

This rogue piece of draconian legislation is a direct attack on the freedoms supposedly guaranteed us in the Bill of Rights.

“In July, 2003, Rep. John Conyers, in response to a report released by the Justice Department’s Inspector General’s Report, said,

“This report shows there are more victims of John Ashcroft’s war on the Constitution.

“The attorney general appears on television nearly every week claiming to protect us, while he simultaneously dismantles our civil liberties and civil rights. Will the Justice Department ever admit that it has gone too far?

“In the six-month report of December 16th to June 15th there were 1,076 reported claims of civil liberty or civil rights complaints related to the U.S. Patriot Act.

“Thirty-four were deemed credible according to the Inspector General’s office and would be examined.

“Some of the abuses included, abusive language, cruel and unusual behavior, and abusive treatment.

“One detainee had a loaded gun held to his head while being transported, another was forced to remove his shirt and ordered to shine his guard’s shoes.

“Sleep deprivation, torture, and beatings were also reported.”

– Watching the Horror of the Patriot Act

Controversy on the Patriot Act: Abused

“The horror stories surrounding the Patriot Act continue to mount and civil liberties may be a thing of the past if the Bush Administration continues to have its way.

“Critics. suggest the loose definition of what constitutes a terrorist combatant unduly exposes innocent citizens to unnecessary government surveillance previously protected by the U.S. Constitution.

“…What this tells us is that, without an open and accountable government, we will never really know how many people have had their rights violated by federal agents and how many people have been held without legitimate charges being brought, said [Rep. John] Conyers during debate on the House floor regarding the report.

“Since the passage of the heavily criticized Patriot Act, FBI agents and federal prosecutors have been criticized for over zealously bending the act’s intent to place surveillance on citizen’s for possible violations not involving terrorism.”

– Horror Sories Mount Over Patriot Act

Controversy on the Patriot Act: A Lie

“…the Patriot Act extended the government’s powers well beyond the terrorism arena.

“The creatively named law – USA Patriot stands for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism” – also handed FBI agents and prosecutors a broad new arsenal for going after garden-variety criminals.

“Already, they have used “sneak-and-peek” warrants, wiretaps, Internet surveillance and other Patriot tools in pursuit of thieves, computer hackers, drug dealers and money launderers.

“And they’re exploring how the law can be used in other realms.
That’s as it should be, a key author of the Patriot Act says.

” “A lot of these tools can be used in ordinary crimes,” former Assistant Attorney General Viet Dinh acknowledged during a recent debate over the controversy on the Patriot Act on CNNfn. 

” “But heck, if we happen to catch a murderer, excuse me for not apologizing“.

“An array of liberal and conservative organizations worry, though, that the law tramples on Americans’ civil liberties, reduces judicial oversight and can be used against people who are not suspected of terrorist or criminal activity.

“They dismiss the Justice Department’s insistence that the law takes aim only at suspected terrorists, saying ordinary, law-abiding Americans could end up on the wrong end of a roving wiretap or other Patriot Act autority.

“And the law, they argue, undermines bedrock legal principles such as Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.”

– Patriot Act’s Reach Goes Beyond Terror