What Is In A Name

There is a rather common acronym in use of late that seems to make the phrase resulting from the acronym rather meaningless. Another such acronym is entering the news and again I can’t find the expected connection between the phrase and the acronym.

I had not considered it was an acronym when I first heard of the USA Patriot Act of 2001. I took it be the title of some welcomed piece of legislation. Perhaps to allow government to cover its butt on things it had overlooked before 9/11/01, or perhaps to fund some unconstitutional endeavor to combat or expose political criminal behavior. It was the USA PATRIOT Act. Did you see how I wrote it in the first sentence of this paragraph; lower case for the letters, which means the word “patriot”? Patriot is a noun usually defined as one who loves and supports their country.

Lately I am hearing of the Victory Act in congress or more properly stated, the VICTORY Act. There had been a version before the VICTORY Act that was referred to as PATRIOT II or the “Domestic Security Enhancement Act”.

In any case, it was beginning to get confusing and unlike my congressmen, I decided to read them.

USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 is an acronym which means, “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act. I am not joking, this is as it appears in the congressional record.

The disconnect for me occurred when I compared a person who loves and supports their country to someone who would support the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Of course, what accompanies this is my belief that a patriot loves and supports his country and his country’s Constitution. The question became clear. How could someone who loved and supported the USA Constitution, be a patriot, and support the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001?

The “Uniting and Strengthening America part seemed on target and the Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism part rang true. All is well until you examine what Appropriate Tools are Required.

You’re not going to believe this so you must read it for yourself but violating the Constitution is the required tool.

Reading about it can be a bit difficult because it was hastily introduced, passed with little debate, and without a House, Senate, or conference report. It moved through Congress so quickly there was no resulting legislative history to reference. Consider that President Bush signed the final bill, the USA PATRIOT Act, into law less than six weeks after September 11, 2001.

As I scarily moved on to the VICTORY Act I decided I had better follow the order and look into PATRIOT II. The first PATRIOT Act moved so fast one Congressman was quoted by the Washington Times saying that no member of Congress was allowed to read the first Patriot Act.

As you might then imagine PATRIOT II received far more scrutiny and apparently failed on all counts. It was reportedly being written in secret and was only made public by a leaked copy on the Internet. It was really messy, almost dictatorial, but I believe it is dead. I haven’t pursued it beyond keeping in mind what could have possibly been foisted upon us and by whom.

PATRIOT II was followed by the VICTORY Act which is an acronym meaning “Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act of 2003’’. I’ve not a clue what the “Y” stands for.

Again, you need read it for yourself. If I told you what it said you would not believe that a Justice Department would even begin to suggest such violations of citizen’s rights.

By now, the words of Benjamin Franklin have more meaning than ever before. “Those willing to give up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither security nor liberty.” I feel less secure, not more secure after the passing of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act.

"You’re not going to believe this so you must read it for yourself but violating the Constitution is the required tool. "

But AFTER ALL THAT, THE AUTHOR FAILS TO STATE EVEN ONE PART OF THE ACT THAT VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION.
Yeah, I'm yelling... I'm sick of the hyperbole. The "delayed notice" warrants are the closest claim to an unconstituional part of the Patriot Act but they were in use before the act, it didn't create them. I hope a stricter standard is set for them.

Parts of the Act are unwise IMHO.
I hope there's some reasoned debate before the sunset provisions come up.

Our Constitution isn't flawed, what is flawed is the Congress unwillingness to use the laws they have enacted now – they just pass more and still don’t make them stick. Case in point; our borders would be closed to all illegal immigrants and those that slip through would be shipped out ASAP if law enforcement didn’t have to jump through a jillion hoops to use existing laws and the INS did their job. It is sort of like a busy and dangerous roadway that needs a light – one won’t be put up until at least five people have been killed.

Political Correctness seems to be the ‘coin of the realm’ with all politicians; frivolous lawsuits are another ‘coin’ that keep everyone hopping to do the wrong thing. Mexico is determined to make America their new suburb at the taxpayer’s expense. And the Federal Government wants the states to take in anyone and everyone to feed, house, clothe and give health care, all the while American citizens must fend for themselves and American citizens must obey the law or else! Giving illegal aliens drivers’ licenses is the newest ploy for votes, which is breaking the law. However, just let some teenage driver who speaks English; knows the rules of the road and generally obeys the law, get caught breaking it – WHAM-O! That kid is in a whole lot of trouble. But the non-English speaking, law breaking illegal simply gets a pass.

Since the ‘60s radicals are now mostly running the country in all areas, are still doing their thing – anything goes, some adults in government see the need to tighten up liberties, sort of a curfew if you will, until the nation gets a little more security; we have to be home by 10:00. My guess is if our Law Makers would perform as they should, we would not have to have the Patriot Act. So quit your belly aching and elect responsible people to office from the Mayor all the way up to Congress. The President’s duty is to protect the people and the nation; Congress won’t so he has to, it is as simple as that plus the fact the Clintons trashed the judicial system with Reno at the helm for 8 years; the 8-ball that Ashcroft is behind is squarely in the ‘90s court. eight years with little intelligence and little or no security for all departments; a president who simply would not protect his country and tons of unqualified bureaucrats sucking on the teat of the ‘ol taxpayer. Yeah, we’ve got problems, but there is no one to blame but our lazy selves. Something had to be done to protect us, but the illegal aliens are still here getting a pass and more and more are coming. Whose freedom is it anyway? Take the restraints off police and other lawmen to do their jobs, and then the PA won’t be necessary. T’sMHO

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