if the patriot act is so anti-foreigners, why was it signed into law?
105458
The only people who claim the Patriot Act is anti-foreigners are those who haven't read the law.\nTo sum it up, the Patriot Acts does the following:\n1. Removes obstacles in investigating terrorism and improves intelligence gathering capabilities.\n2. Deals with Immigration and Travel into the United States allowing for tighter restriction.\n3. Gives more tools to fight the funding of terrorists.\n4. Helps us in securing our borders.\n5. Preservation of Immigration Benefits for Victims of Terrorism (How is that anti-foreigner???)\n\nThe link given below is a summary of the bill with links to the actual text direct from the online archives of the US government. There is no commentary or opinion, just the law itself.
226920
Yes. I'm very upset at how the Bush administration has perverted the English language. "Patriot Act" takes away civil liberties. "Clean Water Act" allows companies to dump as much crud as they please in the water, and so on. \n\nThe Patriot Act allows the government to know which books you take out of the library. It denies the library the power to tell YOU that they they've been forced to tell the government which books you've checked out. \n\nStand up for your rights, kids. Once they're gone, they're gone.\n\n(And in response to another answer on this page: you don't have to wait until someone files a suit against a stupid law to know that it's wrong).
528785
Contrary to popular belief, our American laws are not the ultimate guide of morality. The laws are created by fallible human beings; thus, the laws are not always just. Simply because our laws say that someone is illegal does not mean that these "illegals" are bad people because they break the law by entering this country to find work. \n\nI keep hearing people say that "I don't mind immigrants. It's the *illegal* ones that I have a problem with." Well, if we handed out visas, then they wouldn't be illegal--would that change people's attitudes? Probably not. They would say that they have ignored the laws and don't deserve to be here. Well, most Americans have broken a law or two in their lives. \n\nI maintain the controversial position that xenophobia fuels the anti-illegal attitude (in most cases).
855210
because their idiot leader wants it that way...they would have screamed bloddy murder at the intrusiveness of the Patriot Act if it were being proposed by someone other than Dubya
720539
no and it is not the united states government that allowed this it was the american people who allowed the patriot act. if u think about it the people vote for the people who make these laws. when we stop caring it just allows it i remember signing the petition to stop the patriot act there wa this guy who was standing on the corner of the street trying to inform people about it but every one did not care they just kept walking like it did not matter. the funny thing is now millions of people were crying about it. the american people are in a deep sleep. they have become puppets to corporate american going to work for their paychecks that barley give them nough money to support themselves. it is the new breed of slavory. until the american people wake up this will not go away.
429339
The new immigration law is as close to facism as I've ever seen in this country (next to the Patriot Act).  There are blatant civil rights issues at stake here.  For instance, the new immigration bill would criminalize any act giving assistance to illegal foreigners - making churches, charity organizations, and other worthwhile enterprises felons!  If you are a legal worker, and then lose your status somehow (say, through an administrative mix up or some such incident) you would be charged with a felony as well.  It needs to be changed, at the very least.  However, throwing the immigrants out is NOT the answer.  Making them registered, tax paying legal residents is the answer.  This would bring in revenue for the government (which it desperately needs).  It would cost billions of dollars to find them, process them, and deport them.  We are talking about 12 million people here!  People need to put their racist attitudes aside and focus on a real solution to the problem.  And by the way, we are all descendants of immigrants in this country.  Its a good thing that our great-grandparents, or however far back you would like to trace your lineage, weren't tossed out of this country like so many of their descendants wish upon the illegals in this country today.  Remember your roots, and the fact that NONE of us would be here if not for immigration to this country.
1007066
The Patriot Act.. even the title is divisive
887602
Federal law does override/preempt state law, under the Supremacy Clause.\n\nBut the Patriot Act only grants authority to share information that otherwise exists between law enforcement agencies, and to grant access to information that is otherwise kept.\n\nWhat some cities have started doing is refusing to collect the information, which there was no legal requirement that they collect. Because the information doesn't exist, it cannot be taken by the federal govt under the Patriot Act. So, if the federal govt wants that private information, they have to go get it themselves.\n\nIn other words, the cities had to choose between spying on their residents, in the name of security, or backing off and not collecting some types of information. Some chose to back off, rather than contribute to the govt monitoring. It's a gutsy choice, and it's tragic that the federal govt forced them to make it.
173720
Not necessarily.  If someone were stupid enough to ask how to make a pipebomb, and someone gave the right answer, most voting Americans feel the government should get to know.  It doesn't mean that the government hires people to search this particular site since Yahoo has quite a few documented instances where they handed people over to the government just for merit points.  It's happened a few times in China, and if it happened in America, no one would know, because THAT is part of the PATRIOT ACT.  PATRIOT ACT is capitalized because it stands for something, and THAT would make a good question.
182154
Probably because they did something illegal just like legal citizens. What does it really matter it's 30% which means the other 70% (majority) are citizens that have done something just as bad or worse. Just because they might not have the status as an american does not make them any more or less of threat. Considering how many immagrants there in the us as to the actual citizens you should be more concerned about what your own citizens are doing to which there are so many more of them in prison. It's easy to look down on people because they don't have the same "status" as you but when you really think about it's americans who are corupt more then anyone else. Most of the illegal immagrant are only in the u.s because of marriage or extremely unfair measures that caused them to leave the country they were from, and  are only consider as "illegal immagrants" because they are still tied up waiting on paperwork that can take 10+ years to go through. They pay taxes and live no differently then you except that they don't get to claim a tax return and are paying for americans to do less and get more. Not all people are bad  and not all are good but citizenship has nothing to do with it unless they are dropping bombs and claiming war. Your text book probably doesn't say simply because there is no point to be made by the crimes they have commited vs the crimes of those who are legal except those i have just made.
848579
By the complacency of its' citizens, and the fear that the government created by utilizing the media to spread false information, Weapons of Mass Distruction for instance. Creating an atmosphere of fear allowed the government to slowly and stealthfully rob you of your freedoms. The patriot act was one step, the Military Commissions Act is another. We live in the greatest country in the world, but do not be diluded into thinking that you live in a democracy elected by the people (ask Al Gore), or that you are free Try speaking out against the Government,  or exercizing your right to bear arms like the Davidians, or try not paying your property taxes, and see how long it is before the Government evict you from "Your Property". They have the right under "Imminent Domain" to seize your property for any reasonat any time. Don't believe me? Do some research. There are many many cases of this happening. Finally, try not paying your federal taxes. A tax that , by the way, was never ratified by any state in the union, and see how long it is before your wages are garnished, or  your assets seized.......Like I said. It is the greatest country in the world, and I am proud to be a citizen,  but the government is corrupt. You just have to look at the greatest Democracy ever that lasted 1000 years, the Roman Empire to know that it was greed, and corruption that brought down that empire. Greed and Corruption will eventually bring down the American Empire as well, and I doubt that it will last anywhere close to 1000 years.
160779
The American Civil Liberties Union Wednesday, July 30, 2003, filed the first lawsuit against the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism law passed after the attacks of September 11, 2001. \n\nThe lawsuit claims one section of the law authorizing searches of records, including those of businesses, libraries and bookstores, is unconstitutional. \n\n"This lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, which vastly expands the power of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain records and other 'tangible things' of people not suspected of criminal activity," the lawsuit states. \n\nThe ACLU filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Michigan on behalf of six mostly Arab and Muslim-American groups. \n\nThe groups claim the provisions of the law allowing the searches violates the Constitution's First, Fourth and Fifth amendments. \n\nThey include the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor, Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services and the Islamic Center of Portland, Masjed As-Saber.
1046983
It was a stupid thing. Last year I did a report that showed it violated at least 3 amendments in the bill of rights. I think the only reason why it was passed was due to the paranoia to just kill all those terrorist. Some of the stuff that had "illegal" wiretaps were REPASSED this year. So yes, I do know the truth.
263699
Its hard to say because any leads would be highly classified by the government. Stopping a terrorist would be a great boost in support for the Bush administration, however releasing such information could pose a threat to national security. Although they did release info on the terrorist who was planning to attack LA, who was stopped by a Canadian border official. That didn't have anything to do with the Patriot act though, as the offical stopped the man on a hunch.
78635
Things like biological warfare, homeland attacks, and overseas bombings of american embassies are what create a problem.  The fact that terrorists come into this country freely and stay here long after their visa expires and then plot to bomb various landmarks and government establishments is appalling.  Another problem is that terrorists aren't just Middle Eastern, but Americans as well.
909459
America IS it's constitution. It IS it's laws. GWB's military commisions act has the ability to strip a citizen their citizenship by labelling them as enemy combatants. This simply means someone in power has accused you of being a treat to the country. Now as an enemy combatant you have NO RIGHT's. That's right into a secret prison and THAT'S IT FOR YOU. You were born an American and without a trial are now spending the rest of your days stripped of freedoms. Passing this law is treason to the country. \n\nhttp://www.rense.com/general74/mil.htm
1127801
it completely and utterly baffles me why people accept the patriot act. with one sweeping legislation, freedoms of americans are obliterated it is uncautionable why it is just acceptable for so many to take away rights that were so hard fought to achieve there is a  lot of blood that was shed for those very rights and they are just giving those rights so easily. the patriot act is bordering on dictatorship and americans need another revolution to fight off their oppressors.