USA PATRIOT ACT: Is it a USA PATRIOT ACT: Is it a legitimate law to protect legitimate law to protect

national security or is it a national security or is it a violation of your Civil violation of your Civil

Liberties? Liberties?

Essential Essential Question:Question:

Agree or Disagree? Why?Agree or Disagree? Why? Sometimes personal rights must be Sometimes personal rights must be

given up in order to protect people given up in order to protect people from those who could be a danger to from those who could be a danger to all of us.all of us.

It's better to be safe than sorry when It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to fighting terrorismit comes to fighting terrorism..

The government should have the right The government should have the right to investigate to the fullest extent any to investigate to the fullest extent any suspicious person and their activities.suspicious person and their activities.

Civil Liberties have been granted in Civil Liberties have been granted in the Constitution's Bill of Rights and the Constitution's Bill of Rights and should be preserved, no matter what.should be preserved, no matter what.

What does the chart tell us about What does the chart tell us about the passage of this law?the passage of this law?

What does the chart tell us about What does the chart tell us about the passage of this law?the passage of this law?

What has changed and/or stayed the same in the What has changed and/or stayed the same in the 4 years since the original bill was passed?4 years since the original bill was passed?

What has changed and/or stayed the same in the What has changed and/or stayed the same in the 4 years since the original bill was passed?4 years since the original bill was passed?

USA PATRIOT ACT:USA PATRIOT ACT: In your notes write In your notes write down what you know or down what you know or have heard about the have heard about the Patriot Act.Patriot Act.

USA PATRIOT ACTUSA PATRIOT ACT

Uniting and Strengthening Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism as a means for protecting the as a means for protecting the country from future attacks by country from future attacks by providing law enforcement providing law enforcement officials with new tools to fight officials with new tools to fight terrorism. terrorism.

USA PATRIOT ACTUSA PATRIOT ACT

The power to track Internet The power to track Internet communications, wiretap phone communications, wiretap phone and computer communications, and computer communications, obtain search warrants for e-mail obtain search warrants for e-mail and voicemail communications, and voicemail communications, and the ability to access personal and the ability to access personal records and information without records and information without any proof that an individual has any proof that an individual has committed a crime. committed a crime.

USA PATRIOT ACTUSA PATRIOT ACT

This led to controversy because This led to controversy because many feel the Act violates the many feel the Act violates the basic civil liberties established basic civil liberties established by the U.S. Constitution, by the U.S. Constitution, particularly those related to particularly those related to privacy and First and Fourth privacy and First and Fourth Amendment rights. Amendment rights.

PATRIOT ACTPATRIOT ACT

What has emerged is a debate What has emerged is a debate and a power struggle between and a power struggle between the right to personal civil the right to personal civil liberties and the need for liberties and the need for national security. national security.

The Patriot Act DebateThe Patriot Act Debate

FOR FOR national securitynational security AGAINST AGAINST civil liberties civil liberties

FOR or AGAINST THE ACTFOR or AGAINST THE ACT

Look at your T-chart and Look at your T-chart and pick a side that you pick a side that you would like defend. would like defend. Highlight the 3 most Highlight the 3 most persuasive points to persuasive points to support your point of support your point of view.view.

Pick a SidePick a Side After reading and discussing the After reading and discussing the

USA PATRIOT ACT, prepare to USA PATRIOT ACT, prepare to debate the essential question: debate the essential question:

Is the USA PATRIOT ACT a Is the USA PATRIOT ACT a legitimate law to protect legitimate law to protect national security or is it a national security or is it a violation of our civil liberties? violation of our civil liberties?

In other words, are you FOR or In other words, are you FOR or AGAINST the Patriot Act?AGAINST the Patriot Act?

To Honk or not to Honk…that is the To Honk or not to Honk…that is the question!question!