Passed on October 26, 2001, the Patriot Act was a Desperate Action and Remains a Violation of the Bill of Rights

 

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

 

The George W. Bush Administration forced the passage of several policies which remain and are in direct violation of the Bill of Rights. Eager to defend the failure of “W’s” administration to protect our nation from attacks which took the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children, they passed the Patriot Act less than two months after the cowardly attacks on 9/11. Among the other failures by the second worst president in history, was the creation of ICE.

Over my 77 years as a patriot, 67 as an American interested in our political system, I have become greatly fearful as I watched our guarantees under the Bill of Rights removed by a corrupt government. The right-wing continues to move us further to the right and away from the democratic promises of our Founding Fathers. “Fascism has arrived in America and it’s waving a flag and wearing a cross.”

After the passage of the Patriot Act, illegal searches became the norm, and seizure of property followed. All law enforcement was required to claim was any vague suspicion of terrorist activity. Privacy ceased to exist, making the Fourth Amendment null and void. Every Supreme Court, whether dominated by Republican or Democratic Justices, has upheld this unconstitutional law. All 545 men and women ruling our nation from Washington D.C. cannot be trusted. Ours is undoubtedly the worst and most corrupt country in the world of developed nations.

This encouraged right-wing politicians in red states to pass legislation in violation of First Amendment rights. These include the right to vote, the right to peacefully assemble and protest grievances, and a woman’s right to make decisions about her own physical and mental health. Recently, new attacks on transsexuals and the LGBTQ community in general are creating fears that the right of same-sex marriage, also promised by the First Amendment, may be overturned by a biased Court.

Under Republican rule, our nation is on the verge of ending 247 years of democracy, replacing it with a fascist regime, and ending presidential elections while establishing a dictator who is pure white.

Although it is an irrefutable fact that domestic terrorism is the greatest threat to the American people in the 21^st century, ICE, an unnecessary immigration agency also created after 9/11, constantly harasses, arrests, and imprisons men, women, and children whose only crimes are seeking asylum in the United States. More fascism reminiscent of 1930’s Germany.

Once an optimist, I am becoming more pessimistic every day. I trust no one in power. Our leaders lie and hide the truth from us every day. One fact no one can deny: we are no longer the “United” States of America.

Op-ed by James Turnage

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/USA-PATRIOT-Act

https://www.encyclopedia.com/defense/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/patriot-act-and-fourth-amendment

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