USA Patriot ActAfter the devastating attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, this country was quick to act to provide future protection. New techniques had to be developed to protect the nation from the threat of terrorism. Along with the new techniques came the decision to enact laws that some believed crossed the line into violating the civil liberties that this country and those who live in it were guaranteed by the United States Constitution. “On October 26, 2001, Public Law 107-56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism, also known as the USA Patriot Act, went into effect” (Stern, 2004, p. 1112). ). Speaking to Congress, President George Bush declared: “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorist” (Stern, 2004, p. 1114). Congress knew that by signing the bill it expected every American to give up a portion of his guaranteed rights. Rights such as the right to privacy, free speech, and the right to know when a citizen is under government investigation were among a few. The act has been described as a “law enforcement wish list” (Stravelli, 2003, p. 1). The wish list allows law enforcement agencies to “obtain personal information about individuals and conduct surveillance, and in some cases impose secrecy on their law enforcement activities” (Update: USA Patriot Act, 2007, p. 1). The most controversial provisions of the Patriot Act are those that changed the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct their investigations. Stravelli (2003) By addressing the issue from a law enforcement perspective, the Patriot Act contributed to the fight against terrorism by allowing government agencies to share information. ...... half of the document ...... tp://www.npr.org/news/specials/patriotact/patriotactdeal.html.Boykoff, J. (2006). Review of How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? Freedom versus Security in the Age of Terrorism, by Amitai Etzioni. The Journal of Politics, 68(2), 457-487. Paye, J. C. (2006, November). A permanent state of emergency. Monthly Review, 29-37. Stern, J. (2004). Fearing Evil. Social Research, 71(4), 1111-1126. Stravelli, G. (2003, October 3). The federal law has had a major impact on local law enforcement. Atlanticville, p. 1.Update: US Patriot Act. (2007, December 10). Issues and disputes on file. Retrieved November 22, 2010, from the Issues & Controversies database at http://www.2facts.com/article/i1000240l.Van Bergen, J. (2002). The PATRIOT USA was planned before 9/11. Global problems. Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/342/the-usa-patriot-act-was-planned-before-911.