User talk:Iant333

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Warrantless search, seizure and wiretapping have long been the stuff of dystopic fiction and wild speculation, yet today issues like these are coming more and more into the mainstream. On October 26 2001, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act) was passed, and also shortly after 9-11, the NSA began the “NSA electronic surveillance program”. These programs both include provisions for things such as, not needing warrants to tap the phones of suspected terrorists, search their homes without warrants and arrest them without informing them of their rights (or that they no longer have any), telling them what they are charged with or giving them a trial by their peers. While many would have the American public believe that such drastic measures are needed to combat the modern threat of terrorism, those who say this are gravely mistaken, terrorism can and should be fought while conforming to the original institutions of this country, such as a right to privacy and right to a fair trial.

There are many in the United States today that say things such as 9-11 somehow changed everything, now we are in a different world and must use different rules. While it is extremely unsettling to have ones country attacked by surprise we cannot allow fear to cause us to throw away the rights our founding fathers worked so hard get in the first place.