USA Patriot Act

Paper Summary:

The paper refers to several articles that consider the Patriot Act a significant threat to the individual's right to privacy. The paper discusses the need for oversight of this Act and contends that although the Act states that all surveillance is made on the basis of suspicion of terrorism, there appears to be great latitude of abuse. The paper warns that we do not want to slide down the "slippery slope" of McCarthyism.

From the Paper:

"The Act is criticized for allowing too much secrecy. It eliminates the checks and balances that have kept our courts from abusing powers (EFF: The USA Patriot Act). The American Library Association passed a resolution urging the United States Congress to provide active oversight of the Act (Ala Resolution on Patriot Act, 2004). Section 1001 of the Act requires the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to designate one official to review and receive allegations of civil liberties and civil rights abuses. In addition this official must submit on a semi annual basis a report of the abuses to the committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate (Electronic Privacy Information Center, 2001). Section 502 of the Act requires Congressional oversight concerning request for the production of tangible things."

Sample of Sources Used:

• (2002). retrieved Dec. 06, 2004, from http://www.house.gov/judiciary/chabot052003.htm.
• Ala resolution on patriot act. (2004) retrieved Dec. 06, 2004, from American Library Association Web site: http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/usapatriotresolution.html
• Electronic privacy information center. (2001). retrieved Dec. 06, 2004, from USA Patriot Act (H.R. 3162) Web site: http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html.
• Lithwick, D. (2003). retrieved Dec. 06, 2004, from A Guide to the Patriot Act, Part 1 - Should you be scare4d of the Patriot Act? Web site: http://slate.msn.com/id/2087984.
• Nice, A. (2002). retrieved Dec. 06, 2004, from The USA Patriot Act > No More Terror Web site: http://www.legamedia.net/dy/articles/article_14656.php

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