23 July 2017
On September 11th, 2001, the United States was attacked by a terrorist group called al-Qaeda.
Shortly after the attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. the U.S. declared a war on terrorism.
Just a few weeks later, George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act, which stands for: Uniting and
Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.
Even though the act had passed through the House of Representatives quite quickly, it did not gain much
popularity among the American people. In fact, there was much criticism that the Patriot Act was
unconstitutional in many aspects of violating American rights. People felt that their privacy was being
invaded and that the federal government was stepping over the line. However, though the act posed as
unconstitutional, its main priority was to prevent any future and/or current terrorist activity against the
United States. It allowed the federal government to execute in a manner which the constitution would
have prevented before, such as intercept conversations over the phone and break into peoples homes
without a warrant. Therefore, though the privacy of citizens were invaded, the USA Patriot Act was
beneficial in that it sped up investigations, increased security measures, and supported American
To begin with, the Patriot Act enabled federal organizations, such as the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and Homeland Security, to gain information on individuals suspected of terrorism. This was
helpful in decreasing the time spent on investigations of terrorist activity. Speed is a major key to any
sort of investigation into terrorism, and the Patriot Act allows for faster inquiries into potentially
suspicious activities. War criminals who are on the United States territory are no longer able to hide
behind the freedoms granted to law abiding citizens (Occupy Theory). In order to make this happen, the
government had to be granted authority to intrude the privacy of individuals. One of the most popular
methods in gaining information on suspects involved wiretapping. This makes it much easier for the
government to listen in on any conversation that they deem a threat to national security (Occupy
Theory). By understanding this concept, it is clear that though the Patriot Act crosses the line on
constitutional rights at times, it primarily aims to protect the nation. Thus, the USA Patriot Act was
Likewise, the Patriot Act was helpful in preventing any potential terrorist activity by increasing
security measures throughout the country. Similar to tapping into phone conversations, government
organizations were granted authorization to people's emails and other sources of communication. If the
investigating officers uncover any sort of malfeasance or a planned attack, then they are able to strike
quickly, snuffing out a nascent threat before it has a chance to become full blown (Occupy Theory). The
U.S. government did not want to take any chances of having a similar tragedy as 9/11 occur, so they
increased security. This does not only pertain to listening in on telephone conversations, but also building
safer environments for the American people. For example, today there is more technology and processes
that occur in an airport. This is to ensure that no potential dangers can make it onto an airplane and
threaten innocent lives. Likewise, crime protection on all levels - local, state, and federal - work together
more. They help each other in assisting organizations with information and needed materials. If local
police find that greater assistance is required in an investigation, they can call on the FBI for help. Thus,
the communication between such organizations increased. Therefore, as security measures increased the
government was able to better work together and protect the nation in everyday routines.
Nevertheless, the topic of the USA Patriot Act grew to be reasonably controversial. It was passed
in order to stop terrorism and ultimately protect American citizens and their freedom. Yet, many people
felt that their freedom, specifically privacy, was being stripped from them. Citizens were frightened at the
fact that there was a possibility that someone was listening to what they were saying. A large majority of
people did not want the government to intercept and read their emails, or wiretap into their conversations.
They simply did not want the government to invade their personal lives. Critics say the language of the
act could lead to privacy violations of anyone who comes into casual contact with a suspect. They want
Congress to require investigators to specify just which device is going to be tapped, or that the suspect be
clearly identified, in order to protect the innocent from unwarranted snooping. (Abramson & Godoy).
Therefore, even though an individual may be innocent of any terrorist activity, simply any interaction
with such a person could have put them in danger with the federal government.
Nonetheless, the Patriot Act was beneficial in aiding businesses and individuals who may have
suffered from terrorist attacks. Therefore, not only did it prevent any future incidents, but it provided
support to those who financially struggled due to terrorism. Before the Patriot Act became a part of the
American justice system, American citizens who were the victim of a terrorist attack were not able to
receive the restitution they needed so that they could properly recover from such a traumatic ordeal
(Occupy Theory). The events that took place on 9/11 were detrimental. There were a couple thousand of
lives lost that day and even more that were injured. If the government had no way to compensate the
afflicted, whether they be victims or family of victims, it would take much time for people to get back to
financial stability. The enhanced funding that the Patriot Act offers to the victims of terrorist attacks and
their family members is also afforded to business owners (Occupy Theory). To ensure that the economy
does not suffer a big hit, companies received assistance to maintain their revenues after being inflicted by
a terrorist attack. It was good assurance to the nation that after such a large detriment, they would not be
In conclusion, the Patriot Act was crucial for the United States to effectively fight a war against
terrorism. It help speed up investigations related to terrorist activity. Thus, it had a direct impact in
dismantling any type of terrorism before it could escalate. It helped create a safe environment where
proper procedures were enforced to protect the public. Likewise, it caused all levels of government and
crime protection to communicate with each other. In addition, it provided financial aid to everyday
citizens and corporations who were afflicted by terrorists. Though the ethics of the USA Patriot Act were
questioned as it posed a threat to constitutional rights, it was designed to protect the greater good, thereby
seeing that the nation would be safe from any future devastating events and ultimately securing its
freedom.
Works Cited
Abramson, Larry, and Maria Godoy. "The Patriot Act: Key Controversies." Npr.org. N.p., 14 Feb. 2006.
"List of Pros and Cons of The Patriot Act." Occupy Theory. N.p., 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 23 July 2017.