“Be Careful…” An Essay On The U.S. Patriot Act

2 Pages 551 Words

When you’re sitting at the computer, you are probably playing games or chatting with friends. Now imagine that a stranger is sitting right there beside you. This person is watching your every move. But know imagine that this person is an FBI agent. Instead of being there right beside you he’s watching you’re every move from their own computer.
You’re probably thinking that this could never happen. But quite the contrary, the FBI can monitor your computer without you even knowing about it. In fact they could have your house wired with video camera and voice recorders. And it’s perfectly legal to do it to, according to the US Patriot Act. (Library of Congress)
Yes this act is to help the United States combat terriosm. We have successfully stopped a number of terriost operations. The US has also shut down many money-laundering operations also. Yes these are good key components to this Act. But however the US Patriot Act does have many downfalls.
The FBI now does not need a search warrant. All they have to have is probable cause. I bet that makes you feel real safe. Let’s just hope none of us have hacked off any FBI agents lately.
Even Libraries, not just in Oklahoma but also across the nation are protesting the Act. They feel it’s “a violation to users rights” (ALA). More than 140 cities and communities in 27 different states have passed resolutions against the act. Don’t you think something is wrong when our own libraries are disagreeing with it?
Believe it or not in our own constitution there’s a section against illegal searches and seizures. Article 4 this probably means nothing to you, but here’s why it should. It states that you must have a search warrant, not probable cause. So basically the Patriot Act is saying that article 4 of our own constitution doesn’t apply to certain people.
The FBI reminds me of a trap-door spider. They wait silently and secretly watching your...