History
...ress assembled, that if any persons shall unlawfully combine or conspire together, with intent to oppose any measure or measures of the government of the United States, which are and shall be directed by proper authority, or to impede the operation of any law of the United States, or to intimidate or to impede the operation of any law of the United States, or to intimidate or prevent any person holding a place or office in or under the government of the United States, from undertaking, performing or executing his trust or duty; and if any person or persons, with intent as aforesaid, shall counsel, advise or attempt to procure any insurrection, riot unlawful assembly, or combination, whether such conspiracy, threatening, counsel, advise, or attempt shall have the proposed effect or not, he or they shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and on conviction, before any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five thousands dollars, and by imprisonment during a term not less than six months nor exceeding five years (http://civics-online.org/library/formatted/texts/alien_sed.html).” Almost two hundred years later, on October 26, 2001, President Bush signed the United States of America Patriot Act into law. This new law now gives new powers to the government in surveillance, eliminating the checks and balances that previously, “gave the courts the opportunity to ensure that these powers were not abused (http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_militias).” Americans, now knowing the possibility that they could be being spied on by intelligence agencies, need to be more cautious. This new act put into law, know as the USAPA expands all four traditional tools of surveillance: wiretaps, search warrants, pen/trap orders and subpoenas (http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_militias).” In other words American citizens are now going to have expanded surveillance with reduced Checks and Balances. These checks and balances were put into place after the previous misuse of surveillance powers by agencies such as the FBI. “Including the revelation in 1974 in which the FBI and other foreign intelligence agencies had spied on over 10,000 U.S. citizens, including Martin Luther King (http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_militias).” Do the Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798 and the USA Patriot Act of 2001 have anything in common? One would have to answer yes; the two acts do possess common characteristics. The Alien & Sedition Acts deals with the issue that if the United States is at war with another foreign nation, and the public knows about it, then all citizens of the hostile nation within the United States shall be removed as alien enemies. Now, the USA Patriot Act deals with increased surveillance of the people of America. The two have a direct parallel, because if we were to be at war with another nation, this new Patriot Act would help to secure and punish individuals residing in the United States who are correlated with the enemy. With the help of this new act, individuals must be careful. For example, if one were to be surfing the internet, the government can now spy on web surfing of innocent Americans, more specifically terms entered into search engines. Nationwide wiretaps can now be issued from phone to phone, or computer to computer “without demonstrating that each is even being used by a suspect or target of an order” (http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_militias). In addition to the Alien & Sedition Acts and the USA Patriot Act, some might believe that the two acts are an infringement on their rights stated in the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. Paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness (http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/declaration.html).” Does either of the two acts violate this passage of the Declaration of Independence? One would have to argue no, the two acts are not in violation of the passage. These given rights that are stated in the Declaration are for the people of the United States, not alien individuals who are not citizens. The three acts are in no way threatening the rights of Americans stated in the Declaration of Independence. Individuals still and will always continue to have Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. For as long as one has nothing to hide from the government of the United States, one has nothing to worry about. The first ten amendments to the Constitution were ratified on December 15, 1791, to form what is now known as the “Bill of Rights.” Amendment one states: “Congress shall make no la...