The Patriot ACT

"The law allows our intelligence and law enforcement officials to continue to share information. It allows them to continue to use tools against terrorists that they used against -- that they use against drug dealers and other criminals. It will improve our nation's security while we safeguard the civil liberties of our people. The legislation strengthens the Justice Department so it can better detect and disrupt terrorist threats. And the bill gives law enforcement new tools to combat threats to our citizens from international terrorists to local drug dealers."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/images/20060309-4_d-0213-515h.html

-- President George W. Bush
March 9, 2006

I was on WhiteHouse.gov today reading about a new executive order that the president initiated today, when I noticed a link to the Patriot Act. I thought the verbiage that the president used was quite interesting, lets read between the lines and take a closer look. First, he says we will continue "sharing information" one can only assume that this refers to the reading of Americans emails and the way that this law allows violations of privacy that were previously protected. I don’t want to get too deep into to that, because with Sept 11 I would rather have my emails read and avoid another disaster, those who have nothing to hide should not be worried any way, and the program carnivore is meant to catch key words and phrases associated with terrorism! They are not looking for much else, because although they have the capability they lack the man power. Second, "allows them to continue to use the tools against terrorist that they now use against drug dealers and other criminals", hmmmm I am pretty sure that Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay do not hold illegally and torture drug dealers and terrorist. Although who really knows for sure. Third to "safeguard the civil liberties of OUR people", I guess that the president feels that in order to safeguard OUR civil liberties, he must ignore those civil liberties that out constitution sets forth and the international civil liberties established by numerous UN treaties, to do so. Even though these people are not Americans it is the American government doing it. Im not saying whether some of them deserve it or not, because that is not for me to judge, but I will say, that as the leading power, we are not setting a good example for the rest of the world. And simultaneously loosing the respect of our allies and increasing the hatred from our enemies!!!