The patriot act is a dense blob of leagalese. Here is a summary of some of the main points. I will continue to research it and post what I find.
For someone who is concerned about losing his second ammendment rights I would think these points would be of concern.
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Expands terrorism laws to include “domestic terrorism” which
could subject political organizations to surveillance, wiretapping,
harassment, and criminal action for political advocacy.
Expands the ability of law enforcement to conduct secret
searches, gives them wide powers of phone and Internet
surveillance, and access to highly personal medical, financial,
mental health, and student records with minimal judicial oversight.
Allows FBI Agents to investigate American citizens for criminal
matters without probable cause of crime if they say it is for
“intelligence purposes.”
Permits non-citizens to be jailed based on mere suspicion and to
be denied re-admission to the US for engaging in free speech.
Suspects convicted of no crime may be detained indefinitely in six
month increments without meaningful judicial review.
New legislation and government
actions take away our freedom
First Amendment - Freedom of religion, speech, assembly,
and the press.
Fourth Amendment - Freedom from unreasonable searches
and seizures.
Fifth Amendment - No person to be deprived of life, liberty or
property without due process of law.
Sixth Amendment - Right to a speedy public trial by an
impartial jury, right to be informed of the facts of the accusation,
right to confront witnesses and have the assistance of counsel.
Eighth Amendment - No excessive bail or cruel and unusual
punishment shall be imposed.
Fourteenth Amendment - All persons (citizens and noncitizens)
within the US are entitled to due process and the
equal protection of the laws.
• 8,000 Arab and South Asian immigrants have been
interrogated because of their religion or ethnic background,
not because of actual wrongdoing.
• Thousands of men, mostly of Arab and South Asian origin,
have been held in secretive federal custody for weeks and
months, sometimes without any charges filed against them.
The government has refused to publish their names and
whereabouts, even when ordered to do so by the courts.
• The press and the public have been barred from immigration
court hearings of those detained after September 11th and
the courts are ordered to keep secret even that the hearings
are taking place.
• The government is allowed to monitor communications between
federal detainees and their lawyers, destroying the attorneyclient
privilege and threatening the right to counsel.
• New Attorney General Guidelines allow FBI spying on religious
and political organizations and individuals without having
evidence of wrongdoing.
• President Bush has ordered military commissions to be set up to
try suspected terrorists who are not citizens. They can convict
based on hearsay and secret evidence by only two-thirds vote.
• American citizens suspected of terrorism are being held
indefinitely in military custody without being charged and without
access to lawyers.
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