How do we keep terrorism from being a reason to take away our rights?

Answer 1

By adressing the go-along corrupt politicains who agreed to the patriot act both democrats and republicans, and then impeaching their leader which none of them have even seriously tried to do!
There is really something wrong in D.C. these days and Americans better wake up to it.

The Patriot Act increases the governments surveillance powers in four areas:

Records searches. It expands the government's ability to look at records on an individual's activity being held by a third parties. (Section 215)
Secret searches. It expands the government's ability to search private property without notice to the owner. (Section 213)
Intelligence searches. It expands a narrow exception to the Fourth Amendment that had been created for the collection of foreign intelligence information (Section 218).
"Trap and trace" searches. It expands another Fourth Amendment exception for spying that collects "addressing" information about the origin and destination of communications, as opposed to the content (Section 214).
1. Expanded access to personal records held by third parties

One of the most significant provisions of the Patriot Act makes it far easier for the authorities to gain access to records of citizens' activities being held by a third party. At a time when computerization is leading to the creation of more and more such records, Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows the FBI to force anyone at all - including doctors, libraries, bookstores, universities, and Internet service providers - to turn over records on their clients or customers.

Unchecked power
The result is unchecked government power to rifle through individuals' financial records, medical histories, Internet usage, bookstore purchases, library usage, travel patterns, or any other activity that leaves a record. Making matters worse:

The government no longer has to show evidence that the subjects of search orders are an "agent of a foreign power," a requirement that previously protected Americans against abuse of this authority.
The FBI does not even have to show a reasonable suspicion that the records are related to criminal activity, much less the requirement for "probable cause" that is listed in the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. All the government needs to do is make the broad assertion that the request is related to an ongoing terrorism or foreign intelligence investigation.
Judicial oversight of these new powers is essentially non-existent. The government must only certify to a judge - with no need for evidence or proof - that such a search meets the statute's broad criteria, and the judge does not even have the authority to reject the application.
Surveillance orders can be based in part on a person's First Amendment activities, such as the books they read, the Web sites they visit, or a letter to the editor they have written.
A person or organization forced to turn over records is prohibited from disclosing the search to anyone. As a result of this gag order, the subjects of surveillance never even find out that their personal records have been examined by the government. That undercuts an important check and balance on this power: the ability of individuals to challenge illegitimate searches.

Answer 2

This is the question of the 21st century. As terrorism escalates, and it will continue to do so I believe, we will be forced to make the hardest choices Americans have ever had to face. American society rests on our freedoms. Those freedoms have been fought for in wars, debated over in the USSC, assumed to be untouchable by anyone or anything. Yet it is those freedoms that put us in the crosshairs now. Our rights are the basis of our very government and give us the freedoms we take for granted every day of our lives. But when a President ignores the Constitution to wiretap any citizen without warrant, in order to protect us from terrorists? We've got a Catch-22 on our hands the size of King Kong. That sort of intrusive action on the government's part demands that we trust those in power without question. We have to trust that they will not abuse it, and will not use it against citizens that simply don't agree with them politically. It's McCarthyism X10. All we have to do is look back at some of the past behavior of our Presidents and their Administrations, including George Bush's tactics - and it should make the hair stand up on the back of our necks.

I think a different approach is called for. For one thing, if we were making use of the National Guard to protect our borders and monitor our ports, instead of sending them to Iraq to fight Bush's war (which had NOTHING to do with terrorism in the first place), we'd be on the right track. Get a grip on the problem of immigration and keep those out that don't belong here. Stop paying students from countries where terrorists have the run of the place to attend our colleges. Protect our country from within and we can keep our freedoms.

Answer 3

What kind of ridiculous answer to wire-tapping is: if you don't do anything illegal what do you have to worry about?

That's screwed up.

Look I thought we could all AT LEAST agree that privacy in one's home is what separates us from the Communists that were in Russia and the Theocracy governments in the Middle East. We were guaranteed that right by the forefathers!

If you believe that some rights should be temporarily stepped over to protect the rest that's one thing, but to explain dodging rights with such a ridiculous answer is just plain idiotic. If Bush took away our right of free speech what would your answer be? Well if you have nothing nice to say about the government why do you need to say anything at all? For someone who claims fighting "Islamofascists" is just.... why do you argue so hard for taking away our rights to do it? What happened to fighting for freedom! Why do we give the people we "liberate" more freedoms yet we take our own away to do it?

I don't do anything illegal so... NO! wiretapping and looking into what I do online DOESN'T bother me directly. What bothers me is that it IS by all definitions over-stepping one of our rights: Privacy!

Answer 4

By convincing enough people that our own politicians have been enticing terrorist groups to commit acts. Sticking your nose in a situation where other parties are fighting is a good way to find yourself involved. Terrorist groups couldn't hope to fight the US conventionally, so they attack soft targets, like innocent civilians in the Twin Towers. Our politicians have the legislation all set to go, the Patriot Act and all the rest of the "Anti-Terrorism".

When the Murrah Building was bombed, the "Terrorism" Bill was already written, just waiting for an incident. There is plenty of evidence of prior knowledge that the Murrah Building was going to be attacked. Someone just let it happen.

It is similar to what happened at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese naval code had been broken. There were people high up in government who knew the attack was coming. They failed to warn the Navy because they feared that if the Japanese lost the element of surprise, they would turn around and not attack. FDR was desperate to get us into WW2.

Answer 5

Has someone taken your rights?. Which ones? Did you call the police?

No one has taken anything from you. Don't be so paranoid.

If what you are referring to is the NSA listening to phone
conversations that originate in foreign countries by known
terrorists. That is not violating your right to privacy.
According to Federal Communication Commission regulations,
any signal transmitted through the ether is fair game for anyone
who can capture the signal. There is no expectation of privacy.

My advice to you is do not talk to any terrorists if you want to
stay out of trouble.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a nice day.

Thank you very much, while you're up!!!!

Answer 6

HAS YOUR LIFE CHANGED ONE IOTA? Have you been chatting on line or by phone to terrorists? Do you know that they are terrorists? Get real. if you are not playing in that particular sandbox what do you have to fear. If on the otherhand you are doing something illegal not necessarily related to terrorism your fears are well founded. Business as usual. Why flatter yourself into a frenzy about losing your rights when in reallity you are not at risk. Once these Acts are expanded to suit another application and they will then we need to fear . I'm referring to ten years from now when we could have Snoopy for pres.

Answer 7

learn the form and the thank you to style arguements that the suited court docket will uphold. What the Bush administration is doing is in basic terms illigal once you could coach it in a court docket of regulation. the sturdy information is everybody that comes up with a sturdy arguement that a choose factors on can cancel coverage that takes away your rights.

Answer 8

What rights of yours have been taken away by our government fighting terrorism?

If you say "wire tapping", then my reply to you is "If you're not doing anything illegal, then what do you have to worry about?"

Or, do you consider getting on a plane with a bomb a right? In that case, then yes, your rights have been infringed upon.

Answer 9

1. Stop thinking that terrorists deserve the same rights as US citizens (and stop interpreting the Patriot's Act and MCA that way).
2. Refuse the temptation to make this a religious war. The harder you fight ideology, the stronger it gets.
3. Be clear on who the enemy is. It is not other Americans.

Merry Christmas.

Answer 10

This is exactly why we must get Bush and his cronies and the Religious Right, who have hijacked the Republican Party, out of office as soon as possible. The Patriot Act already violated your 4th and 5th Amendment Rights. They have already tried to brand you as un-American if you disagree with the war, which was waged on lies and deception. Your Freedom od Speech Rights are also endangered by many so-called anti-terrorist statutes they have incorporated. Bushie and his cronies are on track with what went on in Nazi Germany in the 1930's. Look it up. There's an old saying: "Patriotism is the last reguge of a scoundrel." This never fit anyone better than Bush. Save our country and vote Democrat, like we had the sense to do in the last election!!!!!