Passed shortly after 9/11, the Patriot Act was intended to halt the spread of terrorism and terrorist ideals Westward. Using wiretaps among other things, the Act has had mixed reviews. Supporters of the Patriot Act have argued that it is an essential tool of fighting terrorism, which battles cannot be won unless privacy is tampered. However, opponents of the Act suggest that it attacks American liberty and freedom and goes against the country’s constitutional framework. If you would like to buy a sample research paper on the patriot act, please contact our sales department today. Our staff of American-only writers are standing by to give you the best quality work possible!
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The Patriot Act: Unethical and Wrong
9/11 will always be remembered as one of the saddest days in the history of the United States. Almost three thousand lives were lost because of an inhumane terrorist act. Twelve years later, and the Patriot Act (passed very soon after 9/11) is still seen as controversial by millions of people in America. The Patriot Act is a law whose goals include strengthening domestic security and broadening the powers of law-enforcement agencies with regards to stopping terrorists. Is this not imperative so Americans can be safer? For those who criticize the Patriot Act as not being constitutional, it is important to understand that the Constitution was written hundreds of years ago. Times have changed. Terrorism, especially in the name of religion has become such a huge part of today’s society that drastic measures need to be taken to prevent it. I completely agree with the Patriot Act and believe it is ethical, and although I realize that is not an ideal law, it is an important one as the lives of potential victims and the security of the country should be placed above all else.
Title I of the Patriot Act “gives the president the authority to confiscate the property of any foreign person who is believed to have aided in a war or attack on the United States” (HowStuffWorks 1). Although it may be harsh for people who have not aided in a war or attack on the United States to have their property confiscated, it is the best possible way to prevent acts of terrorism. Several times in my life I have been told by people that, “the end justifies the means”. I firmly believe in this ideal. If the best way to prevent terrorism means that people may not have the privacy they once had, then so be it.
Why Privacy and Liberty Shouldn’t be Tampered With
Growing up in China opened my eyes to the reality that there is a great deal of suffering in this world, whether it be from disease, poverty, terrorism, crime, e.t.c. Almost three thousand people died as a direct result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sons, grandparents, grandmothers were lost from this Earth forever. If you asked the families of victims if they would have compromised their privacy if it meant their family members weren’t killed, I strongly believe that 100% of them would have supported the Patriot Act. When I ask people I know that support the right to bear arms if they would still support the right to own guns if they lost a family member in a mass shooting, everyone eventually agrees that they wouldn’t support the 2nd Amendment. Why can’t people be more aware of the bigger picture? One of my criticisms of Western society is that people are very individualistic and care too much about themselves. When will the human race understand that we are all part of the same race and we need to look out for one another?
Terrorism is Evil but the Patriot Act is Not the Answer
Terrorism is one of the pure evils in this world and all steps needed to reduce and/or eradicate terrorism need to be taken. It would be an injustice for the people that have died in terrorist acts throughout history if the Patriot Act were no longer a law. However, national security is not the only issue at play here.
The provision I agree with most in the Patriot Act is stated in Title IV. In Title IV, it states, “foreigners with ties to terrorist organizations are banned from entering the United States, and the monitoring of foreign students is expanded by Title IV” (HowStuffWorks 2). Foreigners with ties to terrorist organizations should be banned from entering the United States because the terrorists could be plotting attacks through the people they have ties to.
An extensive analysis of my own views in regards to the Patriot Act reveals that I support the law. Although it takes away people’s privacy in certain cases, I believe that lives are far more important than privacy and people should never have to die ever again in the name of terrorism.
Works Cited
How the Patriot Act Works. 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. 13 March 2013. <https://people.howstuffworks.com/patriot-act.htm>
The USA PATRIOT Act: Preserving Life and Liberty. Preserving Life & Liberty. 13 March 2013.<https://www.justice.gov/archive/ll/highlights.htm>