igloo Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Checking out the Patriot ActEdwin J. Feulner (archive)February 12, 2004 | Print | SendTimes are tense. Our politicians trade strident accusations about everything from budget deficits to intelligence failures. Our troops face daily dangers overseas. And always, we live with the threat posed by terrorists who want to kill as many Americans as quickly as they can.So let’s not go out of our way to worry needlessly, the way so many misguided souls who are hyperventilating over the USA Patriot Act are.On its Web site, the American Library Association warns, “sections of the USA Patriot Act are a present danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users.â€Michigan’s state librarian, Christie Pearson-Brandeau, told the Detroit Free Press, “we worry about the FBI coming in and demanding to know who checked out what books and visited what sites on library computers.â€And on Jan. 16, the Concord Monitor reported the following exchange between Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich and some elementary school students:“If the FBI says, We want Jimmy Smith’s library list, then the librarian has to give them that list without telling Jimmy Smith. ‘No way’ a student hollered. ‘Yes, way,’ Kucinich replied.†Well, not quite “way.â€Kucinich should know the most important aspects of the USA Patriot Act only apply to terrorist investigations, which should put Jimmy Smith’s mind at ease.Of course, before the Patriot Act, the government would have needed both to obtain a warrant and to show probable cause that a crime had been committed before it could look at most financial records, library records, phone logs, etc. Now, under Section 215 of the Patriot Act, if the government is involved in an authorized investigation of international terrorism—and only under such circumstances—it needs simply a judge’s warrant to see those records.This makes sense. Before Sept. 11, there were too many restrictions on the FBI’s intelligence gathering. For example, federal agents wanted to search the laptop belonging to Zacarias Moussaoui after his arrest in August 2001. But their warrant was denied, based on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that was then in effect.If the agents had been able to search Moussaoui’s hard drive, they’d have found a flight simulator computer program, software describing the Boeing 747 and extensive information about crop dusters.Today, under the Patriot Act, they’d be able to perform that search, and possibly save lives, without violating Moussaoui’s civil rights. But while the Patriot Act gives the government important—and limited—new powers, it’s actually being applied only rarely. For example, despite all the complaints from librarians, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced last fall that the federal government has never used Section 215 to search library records. Not once. It’s difficult to understand how Section 215 could be considered abusive of rights when it’s never been used.But instead of being glad that the law is being judiciously applied, the American Library Association’s executive director said that the lack of warrants proves the law isn’t needed. “They have demonstrated that there is no need to change the tradition of protecting library patrons’ reading records,†Emily Sheketoff sniffed.Wrong. What the federal government has actually done is prove that it won’t abuse Section 215. But the fact it’s never been used doesn’t prove it’s not needed. As in the Moussaoui case, there may well come a time when we need information, and we’ll be glad we can get it with a judge’s warrant.We should keep a careful eye out to make sure the Patriot Act isn’t abused, just as we should keep a careful eye on everything the federal government does. But many librarians are stressing out over nothing. Next time, they should do a little research before they get worked up over a sensible reform.Dr. Edwin Feulner is president of The Heritage Foundation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siceone Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by siceone good read And the expected silence of the alarmist blowhard left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by igloo And the expected silence of the alarmist blowhard left Translation: "Someone respond to my dull propaganda posts!! Please, I need all the attention I can get!" There, there iggy poo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 Translation: "Someone respond to my dull propaganda posts!! Please, I need all the attention I can get!" There, there iggy poo. Sucker........you really are a dumb fool BTW my intellectually challenged clubplanet clown....it is you and some of your lost pals here that post baseless Patriot Act propoganda and hysteria, just like this ACCURATE article portrays...I was hoping that your skills would improve some here, because it is just too easy to kick your ass..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by igloo Sucker........you really are a dumb fool BTW my intellectually challenged clubplanet clown....it is you and some of your lost pals here that post baseless Patriot Act propoganda and hysteria, just like this ACCURATE article portrays...I was hoping that your skills would improve some here, because it is just too easy to kick your ass..... I let you slide all the time with the bullshit that oozes from your pathetic posts. Would you like me to hijack your thread again, you pathetic piece of shit stain, and send this crapola you dish out like it's the word of god to the drama forum again? Then I suggest you know your fucking role before I bend you over my knee and spank your bitch ass again so everyone can see how much of a cry baby little tool boy you are. Fucking degenerate.Kick my ass? What the fuck dream world do you live in, douche bag? It's the internet. It's a message board. The only ass kicking that you'll see is when I'm at your crack whore mother's house when the bitch doesn't have my money.I can do this all day. You're so easy but like I said, I'll let you slide. Silly, kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 I let you slide all the time with the bullshit that oozes from your pathetic posts. Would you like me to hijack your thread again, you pathetic piece of shit stain, and send this crapola you dish out like it's the word of god to the drama forum again? Then I suggest you know your fucking role before I bend you over my knee and spank your bitch ass again so everyone can see how much of a cry baby little tool boy you are. Fucking degenerate.Kick my ass? What the fuck dream world do you live in, douche bag? It's the internet. It's a message board. The only ass kicking that you'll see is when I'm at your crack whore mother's house when the bitch doesn't have my money.I can do this all day. You're so easy but like I said, I'll let you slide. Silly, kid. Occupation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 I let you slide all the time with the bullshit that oozes from your pathetic posts. Would you like me to hijack your thread again, you pathetic piece of shit stain, and send this crapola you dish out like it's the word of god to the drama forum again? Then I suggest you know your fucking role before I bend you over my knee and spank your bitch ass again so everyone can see how much of a cry baby little tool boy you are. Fucking degenerate.Kick my ass? What the fuck dream world do you live in, douche bag? It's the internet. It's a message board. The only ass kicking that you'll see is when I'm at your crack whore mother's house when the bitch doesn't have my money.I can do this all day. You're so easy but like I said, I'll let you slide. Silly, kid. Not bad.....you were able to string together more than three sentences, with some colorful adjectives and picturesque items....It is a shame that you are delusionary on top of being dumb.....Don't be so sensitive to the ass kickings, or try and convince yourself the proverbial ass kicking can not take place on a lowly messageboard.......instead, try and learn from the experience, because you certainly have shown that you need the help...Keep up the spirit little imbecile, there may be some hope for you.....hopefully, we can take the resolve and inner strength you show in being a clown, and turn that into a positive source for a journey out of your dark, dark world of hyper stupidity...We are rooting for you little clown....Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by igloo Not bad.....you were able to string together more than three sentences, with some colorful adjectives and picturesque items....It is a shame that you are delusionary on top of being dumb.....Don't be so sensitive to the ass kickings, or try and convince yourself the proverbial ass kicking can not take place on a lowly messageboard.......instead, try and learn from the experience, because you certainly have shown that you need the help...Keep up the spirit little imbecile, there may be some hope for you.....hopefully, we can take the resolve and inner strength you show in being a clown, and turn that into a positive source for a journey out of your dark, dark world of hyper stupidity...We are rooting for you little clown....Good Luck :laugh: Nice...but you're still a shit bag on the wrong side of history. Have fun in hell fucknut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 :laugh: Nice...but you're still a shit bag on the wrong side of history. Have fun in hell fucknut. What do you do again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by mr mahs What do you do again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 Lets hear it hippie boy, whats your occupation? no company name just occupation? please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksimons Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 and it's all just a little bit of history repeating...and things go in cycles and things go in cycles and things go in cycles...The big wheel keeps on turning / On a simple line day by day / The earth spins on its axis / One man struggle while another relaxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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