Right Of The Freedom Of Speech example essay topic

The terrorist attack on the world trade center has, unfortunately, led our government to decrease some of our hard-earned civil rights. Our government has responded to this terrible crisis by reducing such rights as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom from unreasonable searches. The president has made efforts to begin new projects and pass new laws that will restrict some of the freedoms written in the constitution. Many of the steps President Bush has taken may intensify our problem rather than solve it. In the amendments to the constitution, article I states that Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the right of the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. After the tragedy of September 11th, congress passed the U.S. Patriot Act.

Under the U.S. Patriot Act, foreigners whose opinions differ from the U.S. government's can be denied entry to the United States. Also, the power of FISC (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) has been increased, the FISC is a secret court whose records are not open to the public, the CIA goes to them for approval of warrants. Also, any foreign organization that uses political or aggressive method to accomplish their purpose may have their assets seized (Status on Civ. Lib. ). The government is allowed to monitor any religious or political institution without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror investigation.

The government has also closed public immigration trials, has detained people without charges and has encouraged bureaucrats to withhold public record requests (Civ. Lib since 9-11). Another frightening development is that our new office of Homeland Security is exempt from the Freedom of Information act and the Whistleblower Act. In the fourth article of amendments, it states that people have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. The U.S. patriot act affects this amendment too; police may search your home without warning or reason. Personal documents such as bank records, library patron records, and Internet accounts may be seized to assist terror investigation.

The tightened airport security seemed an inconvenience, but laid back rules on things like telephone tapping are most definitely infringing on our civil rights. The fifth article of the amendment to the constitution states that a person cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The sixth article states that in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial. Now the government doesn't have to prove people to be a threat, people can be held in prison without trial for thirty days, then it can be renewed for sixty days and so on.

Another development from the U.S. Patriot Act is that the government may monitor and record conversations between accused clients and their lawyers. Americans can be jailed without a trial; they also aren't able to confront witnesses against them (Civ. Lib. since 9-11). There are at least 147 people in custody in the U.S. now, 74 of them are in for immigration violations. There are 73 in custody on secret federal criminal charges and a number of people are being held as material witnesses. These detainees are amid the 1,200 who were brought together under the governments secret apprehensions, detentions and questioning (Civ.

Lib. since 9-11). Public opinion of all of this seems to suggest that the American people are untroubled by the governments recent actions. Poll after poll seems to say that people don't mind having their civil rights stomped on in the name of war against terrorism. There are a few who say that even with the horror of the September 11th attack, the United States is still strong and competent enough to diminish terrorist threat without destroying the nations standards of freedom (CANOE Paper). Only one senator, democrat Russ Feingold, voted against the anti-terrorist package that has brought about the most extensive encroachment of civil rights since the detaining of the Japanese in WWII. Joseph McNamara, a former police chief and research fellow at Hoover Institution said "If we are crippled by terrorism, there will be no need to discuss the nuances of the balance between government authority and Individual rights.

We will not have rights". Everything in this report clearly shows that what our government is doing is unconstitutional. The constitution undoubtedly states that we have the freedom and the right to free speech, free press, a right to a speedy and public trial, and the freedom from unreasonable searches and searches without warrants. I don't think that our forefathers meant for what they wrote in the constitution to be changed by the loopholes our president has created. Liv Ellis

Bibliography

CANOE News Article By Robert Russo Canadian newspaper web cp. html Civil Liberties since 9/11 web The Constitution of the United States of America web. overview. html The Status on Civil Liberties since 9/11 Speaker: Peter Er linder website: web 05. htm.