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The price of freedom: course questions long-term impact of the USA Patriot Act
Asking ‘should security come at the expense of civil liberties?’
Elizabeth
Campell
Institute Communications and Public Affairs
It’s rare — some might even say newsworthy — when conservatives
and liberals agree on any issue. Yet politicians and citizens on both
sides of the political spectrum are finding it difficult to open a debate
when it comes to the USA Patriot Act, a bill approved by the federal government
broadening the power of law enforcement and intelligence at the expense
of the privacy of its citizens.
Those opposed claim such legislation undermines civil liberties, creating
a country that is actually less free. Former Congressman Bob Barr, known
for his conservative stance, visited campus last week to share his knowledge
and opinions about the Patriot Act in a forum with public policy students
in the Constitutional Issues course.
 |
| In speaking with students in a course on constitutional issues, former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, above, called the Patriot Act “a profoundly important piece of legislation that far too few of our citizens know anything about ... affecting not only our relationship with our government ... but also the way individuals interact with each other.” |
In the wake of 9/11
attacks, the U.S. Congress passed the USA Patriot Act — known as
Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required
to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism — thereby expanding a number
of surveillance powers covering wire taps, bank transactions and library
books. It’s part of a program called “Total Information Awareness,”
and while its stated mission is to prevent acts of terror, many cite the
potential for abuse as an instance of art imitating life.
In light of recent privacy issues and expanded governmental powers, Barr
recommended reading or re-reading George Orwell’s classic book “1984,”
from where the term “Big Brother” originated.
“It’s extremely troubling and, indeed, frightening, and I don’t
think that we can overemphasize the analogies in ‘1984’ and
the ‘macro’ direction we seem to begoing,” he said.
Most of the students expressed their concerns about the Act being overly
broad, not sufficiently defining what constitutes “terrorist acts,”
and that the new measures did not appropriately balance individual rights
with security interests.
Others defended the government’s position, saying the United States
is in a state of war and that terrorists must not be allowed to take advantage
of the American free market or its open society.
Barr was appreciative of the students’ efforts, saying, “Far
too few of our fellow citizens and visitors to this country know anything
whatsoever about the consequences of not only the Patriot Act, but also
the entire process we’re involved in when we consider and pass legislation
like this.”
Barr also explained that even though the Act was passed in reaction to
9/11, he recognized almost every part of the original version as having
been proposed — and defeated — before, primarily after the 1995
Oklahoma City bombing.
USA Patriot Act:
www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html
American Civil Liberties Union:
www.aclu.org
American Conservative Union:
www.conservative.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation:
www.eff.org
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