Ulises Andrade
Mr. John Hardison
American Literature
(Honors)
16 November 2012
The
Patriot Act
“These are the times that try men’s souls” (Paine, 160).
Thomas Paine quoted this during the Revolutionary War, a war against tyrannic
rule and the fight for civil liberties. On paper this war ended on September 3,
1783 with the Treaty of Paris (1783), but this war is still going on today
between the citizens of the United States and the national government. The
Patriot Act was passed after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. The
Patriot Act seems to be a good law so we can fight and protect ourselves from
terrorism, but it strips us of our rights stated in the first and fourth
amendments of the Constitution.
The first
amendment grants us the freedom of speech. We have the right to hold our own
political views! We have the right to
hold our own opinion, and we have the right to say anything we may please! The
Patriot Act restricts our rights stated in this amendment. We have to be
careful on what we say, or we can be prosecuted by our own government. I’m sure
we all want to keep our freedom of speech, but the Patriot Act gives the
government the power to prosecute us if they dislike something we say. Where
did our freedom of speech go? It certainly seems like the Patriot Act stole it
from us.
You think that’s all the Patriot Act takes from us? Well
you’re far from that. The Patriot Act ultimately violates the fourth amendment.
The fourth amendment overall protects our privacy. We have the right to be secure
in our own houses, and we are also protected against unreasonable searches. In
this amendment it says these rights shall not be violated, it also states that
the government has to have our affirmation to invade our privacy. The Patriot
Act just chews up and spits out the fourth amendment like a piece of bubblegum.
It gives authorities power to look into someone’s privacy and wiretap our phone
calls without our consent, it certainly seems like the Patriot Act is in
complete violation of the fourth amendment. Where did our privacy go? I know,
the Patriot Act stole it from us, surprised!
Hear me now fellow citizens of the United States, is this
really what we want our government doing to us? Are they not supposed to
enforce the Constitution which grants us all these rights I’ve mentioned?
Instead they pass laws that violate our rights rightfully granted to us under
the Constitution. “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered: yet we have
this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the
triumph” (Paine, 160). Mr. Paine couldn’t have said it better himself fellow
Americans. We all have to unite and fight against the tyrannic rule of the
Patriot Act. It is our duty as citizens of the United States. Patriot Act, I
want my rights back!
Works Cited
"Bill of Rights
Transcript Text." Archives.gov. National Archives, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
Kinsella, Kate.
Prentice Hall Literature. Georgia Student ed. Newark: Prentice Hall, 2004.
Print.
Uhalova, Katarina.
"The Patriot Act vs. the Constitution." Kean.edu. Student
Organization of Kean University, Inc, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
