American Civil Liberties Essay - 2212 Words

Terrorists attacks in America should not reduce or take away civil liberties because it unnecessarily increases government power, gives a false state of security, and goes against the concepts of liberty on which the United States was founded. In order to understand why these three things are important we must determine what are civil liberties. According to Wikipedia, â€Å"Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that protect an individual from the state† (Wikipedia, 2010). Why would we need protection from the state? The intent of civil liberties is to â€Å"set limits on the government so that its agents cannot abuse their power and interfere unduly with the lives of private citizens† (Wikipedia, 2010). Civil liberties are protected through†¦show more content†¦Some citizens, including the late Senator Ted Kennedy as well as some children, have been placed on the no fly list and it’s almost impossible to be removed from this list. Spying on other co untries is something that most, if not all countries do. But spying on U.S citizens in another matter and is considered unconstitutional. Glen Greenwald states in his online article, New Target of Rights Erosion, basically the people or citizens provide the check on government and â€Å"Vesting political leaders with oppressive domestic authority uniquely empowers them to avoid accountability and deter dissent† (Greenwald). Abuse of power is nothing new in any country. Since its formative years, the United States has seen even the greatest of men seemingly abuse power. Even Abraham Lincoln, who stated in his Gettysburg Address â€Å"of the people, for the people, by the people† in reference to the government, removed the right of habeas corpus during the civil war. Habeas corpus is legal action that demands a prisoner be released from unlawful detention but does not necessarily protect other rights such as the right to a fair trial. In World War II Japanese America ns were put in internment camps because it was believed that some were spies. Some believe that, in time of war or even terrorist attacks, that suspension of rights is necessary to promote theShow MoreRelatedThe American Civil Liberties Union1714 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Civil Liberties Union is a large and influential non-profit organization that was founded in 1920. The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonpartisan group that serves to protect the individual rights and liberties of American citizens and is considered a powerful interest group, especially within movements that advocate civil rights and civil liberty. Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, and Tolbert define interests group as â€Å"individuals who organize to influence the government’s program and policies†Read MoreThe American Civil Liberties Union1418 Words   |  6 Pages When Americans first set their eyes on the 20th century, they hoped for a better life without war and a prospering economy. This vi sion of freedom and liberty in America was quite bold, knowing there were challenges ahead. There’s always a price to pay and obstacles to go through when the circumstances are not ideal. During the early 1900s, our country was evolving and starting a new era. An era where blacks were no longer slaves, civil rights movements were occurring, and citizens were having issuesRead More The War on Terrorism is an Attack on American Civil Liberties835 Words   |  4 PagesThe War on Terrorism is an Attack on American Civil Liberties After the attacks on 9/11 our country has been forced to confront the issue of terrorism.   The war on terrorism has ignited a war on our civil liberties.   Our civil liberties have been affected by the passing of the Patriot Act, the violation of privacy, and an increase in racial profiling. Civil liberties have been affected immensely by the Patriot Act.   A brief definition of the Patriot Act is; uniting and strengthening AmericaRead MoreThe Patriot Act : American Citizens Favor Their Civil Liberties1351 Words   |  6 PagesThe Patriot Act American citizens favor their civil liberties granted by the law and the Constitution. Civil liberties are freedoms of a citizen granted by the U.S. Constitution without arbitrary government abridgement. They are important because those freedoms protect the people from an oppressive government and other oppressive citizens. These rights include the freedom of assembly, petition, press, religion, speech and civil rights. The rights separate the United States from a tyrannical governmentRead MoreCivil Liberties And The American Dream1739 Words   |  7 Pagesalways been â€Å"The American Dream† due to many controversies among its citizens. The government of the United States of America handles conflicts between different parties that often oppose others beliefs, the citizens will always be protected by certain rights and liberties that construct a feeling of safety and support one’s life. In the United States of America, civil liberties are focused on putting barriers on the government’s actions towards United States citizens. Civil liberties are deeply protectedRead MoreThe American Civil Liberties Union1639 Words   |  7 Pagesgoverned on what white men could do. It had no rights for men of different races. This went on to show that we needed a section that could relate to the people of the states, so that their freedom was protected in this new Constitution. (American Civil Liberties Union) This debate of do we need to include a Bill of Rights for the everyday citizens of the states went on for four years. The Federalists did not think we needed a Bill of Rights because they did not believe in giving the people of theRead MoreThe American Civil Liberties Union1155 Words   |  5 Pages According to Carl Takei, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, ICE has somewhat complied with President Obama’s mandates. They have released documents on cases of medical negligence leading to deaths but only to people who ask under the Freedom of Information Act. The purpose of President Obama’s mandated reviews was to improve the medical care of the next person. Through investigation by the American Civil Liberties Union, ICE was found to not use these reviews for betteringRead MoreThe American Civil Liberties Union1233 Words   |  5 Pagesthe judicial system is the obvious bias in criminal sentencing in the court. Many studies support the conclusion that people of color are sentenced longer in prison for the same crime as a white person (McElrath, Tran, and Taylor 2). The American Civil Liberties Union released data and specific cases that contribute to this topic. Kenneth Rouse, a Black man, was tried by an all-white jury after the prosecutor eliminated every eligible Black juror from the panel. This is a common discrepancy in theRead MoreThe American Civil Liberties Union1630 Words   |  7 Pagesin incarnations by placing many people in jail more than the last four decades. Mostly because of the war on drugs. So far whites and blacks have been involved in many drug offenses, possession and sales, at a very comparable rate. â€Å"While African Americans comprise 13% of the US population and 14% of monthly drug users they are 37% of the people arrested for drug offenses† (Marc Mauer). The police usually stop blacks and Latinos at rates higher than whites. Within New York City, the people of colorRead MoreAmerican Civil Liberties Union: Study Notes1252 Words   |  5 Pagesin American history. The African American community in particular has worked very diligently over the years to end segregation as a means to achieve equal rights for its entire constituent base. Body paragraph #1 - Topic Sentence #1- To begin, the African American community has obtained equal rights through collectivism. The African American community has always been close knit in response to oppression. Instead of disbanded as a result of turmoil and mass confusion, the African American community