<p>Wait, wait. So if you suspect your neighbor is assembling a dirty bomb with the purpose of killing thousands of innocent people, and you report him or her to the authorities, that is WRONG? *** are you talking about? "Legalist" my arse! Furthermore the Patriot Act has nothing to do with "Americans reporting other Americans as terrorists".</p>
<p>Whoa there Dick Durbin! Comparing our laws and government to the Nazis, Stalinists, and the imperial Chinese deserves a slap in the face and nothing else. There was nothing "legalist" about the Bolsheviks overthrowing their government, nor was it legal when Hitler exceeded his powers and became a dictator. </p>
<p>But I find it funny that you fully admit that the Patriot Act is legal, and totally have given up demonstrating an instance in which the Patriot Act could be used to infringe upon anyone's rights.</p>
<p>I'm not even American, my friend. I, however, have quite a few American friends and what I said is the impression most of them get, especially if they go overseas and witness the freedom of governments not spying on them and imposing overly patriotic viewpoints.</p>
<p>
[quote]
if you suspect your neighbor is assembling a dirty bomb with the purpose of killing thousands of innocent people, and you report him or her to the authorities, that is WRONG? *** are you talking about?
[/quote]
Yes, that is wrong, because you have no authority to suspect your neighbour of assembeling a dirty bomb in the first place. With just a mere "assumption", you call the cops, they come over to your neighbours house/apartment, search it, take him into custody for questioning and violate a ****load of laws a normal country would have in the process, although thanks to the Patriot Act, it is legal. Yes, this has happend to one of my friends and it is wrong. It's the same story with the "Three strikes and you're out" policy or how Bush claims "god is on his side".</p>
<p>And don't tell me that the Bolsheviki didn't use legalist tactics, especially during Stalin's regime. It's my own country's history, I think I know it a little bit better. You, however, don't know your own history, because if you did - you'd know that the principles America was founded on, all the idealism and freedoms, are being grossly abused by the current government.</p>
<p>You should do some research on legalism, because from what I can see you have no idea what it is pr it's onsequences.</p>
<p>The Patriot Act is unconstitutional and illegal. It violates the right to privacy guaranteed by the United States Constitution in the 9th ammendment and equal protection clause of the 14th ammendment. Look up Griswold v Conneticut (1965) or perhaps more popular Roe v Wade.</p>
<p>The government can secretly tap phone lines and take personal property from houses without notifying anyone. Why don't they just install video cameras in bathrooms b/c you might be a terrorist.</p>
<p>Fear of terrorism has created insane measures. Look at Great Britain, which has twice the amount of government surveillane cameras than the entire United States. It is largely undisputed that the average Briton is photographed 300 times by surveillance cameras daily. Anyhow, these measures have not only been insignificant in reducing crime, but infinitesemal in deterring terrorism watsoever.</p>
<p>Bush and the Senate passed the Patriot Act in response to 9/11, which really arose from problems unrelated to secretly tapping phone lines. Now he's reelected, and he's still wants to keep the mainly symbolic act.</p>
<p>Remember the commercial during the recent presidential election where it showed vicious wolves coming out of the TV screen and basically saying 'the terrorists will get you if you don't elect bush?' That was hilarious.</p>
<p>Look at Bush's current approval rating (lowest ever and well under 50%) and the fact that he never truly won the popular vote. He will go down in the history books as the worst president this nation has ever had. His IQ isn't even in double digits and he goes against the will of the people to make corporate gains for idiots in the Republican party.</p>
<p>Now I don't care if the President is republican or democrat, if he is conservative or liberal, or if he's a goddamn tree hugger! Just please don't support a self-serving, dishonest, constitution-defying moron to be our nation's leader.</p>
<p>Paraiso, why are you concerned about listing all the books? Do you have to do some sort of an essay about them?</p>
<p>Anyway, I've read tons of books, but I see no reason in listing all of them. What would be the point? They expect you to be a well read individual. Just say something like "although i've read a plethora of books...etc."</p>
<p>I really don't see the problem (am i missing something?)</p>
<p>The Patriot Act is useless. If Democrats control the government, they will immediately repeal it. If Republicans control the government, they won't care about what's legal and what's illegal (example: since when did the Bush administration cared whether any of its actions was legal?). Thus, Patriot Act is just a waste of time and taxpayer's money.</p>