When I got home today I turned on the TV and this documentary was on the Sundance channel. Now I'm not a political nut or anything like that, but it caught my attention. An hour later I was saying "damn, that was an eye opening documentary." I highly recommend you guys watch it, it's very informative and eye opening. The best documentary I've seen in years!

 

Since I don't have the Sundance channel, what was your view of the documentary?

 

It shed the light on this administrations actions in lieu of the 9/11/01 tradgedy. I only caught the last part of the topic of the detainees at Gitmo and in Iraq and it painted an ugly picture. It basically said that we are holding people indefinitely, w/o the basic rights due to them, and in alot of cases w/o indication of what, if any, crime they committed. I don't understand that. Alot, probably a majority, of the detainees are dangerous people who have participated in some way to the offensive against us and should be dealt with accordingly. But what about those who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and have become victims of circumstance? Then it went on to show how the administration embellished certain clamis against certain individuals and all the politics that's behind some of their questionable actions.

Then came the topic of the Patriot Act. Whoa! That act is more far reaching than I ever imagined it would be. This "Patriot" act isn't very patriotic at all as it basically denies us the rights and freedoms our forefathers signed into our constitution. It doesn't only effect those who are related to the war on terror, as the administration would have you believe. The government is using this newfound power to investigate and prosecute individuals who speak up about administration, and people who have absolutely nothing to do with terrorism. The government now has the ability to subpoena all of the records at any public library WITHOUT THE LIBRARY BEING ABLE TO TELL ANYONE OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. They now have the right to obtain what are called "Sneak and peek" warrants, where they can search an individuals home w/o notification beforehand or afterwards for weeks, even months. And these warrants can be obtained w/o ever showing probable cause of a crime being committed. They even showed footage of officers infiltrating a peace organization and trying to get them to participate in illegal activities so they can be arrested. How is infiltrating peace organizations fighting the war on terrorism?

What people don't understand is that the Patriot Act gives the government the power to access to your medical records, tax records, information about the books you buy or borrow without probable cause. WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE. Resolutions opposing the Patriot Act have passed in approximately 340 communities in 41 states, including four statewide resolutions.I am happy that the city I live in is one that feels the Patriot Act goes too far and will not comply with it unless the proper judicial and constitutional steps are taken.