Name Name Paper #3 The Cost of Saving Democracy On September 11, 2001, terrorists viciously attacked the United States. The immediate damage was unbearable. Not only was the World Trade Center destroyed, but also a wing of the Pentagon. Thousands of people died instantly and there was little hope of discovering anyone alive in the wreckage. The Bush Administration took action immediately. They have passed several Executive Orders and laws that have compromised our civil liberties. I believe that the Bush Administration was right in taking action, but they have seriously crossed the line by denying us some of the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The Bush Administration did not waste any time after September 11th to begin retaliating. As their method for fighting terrorism, the Bush Administration issued several Executive Orders. One of these orders, issued in October 2001, was the Patriot Act or “the `Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001'”(USA Patriot Act 1). This act looked to increase “domestic security against terrorism” (1), improve “the criminal laws against terrorism” (2), and eliminate problems impeding the investigation of terrorism (1). The Patriot Act, along with other Executive Orders issued by the Bush Administration, violate the United States Constitution and thus, compromise our civil liberties. As a nation, we are guaranteed certain rights by the Constitution. The Bush Administration has crossed the line by denying us some of these basic liberties. The War on Terror has seriously compromised the First, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights of citizens and non-citizens alike. From the USA Patriot Act's over-broad definition of domestic terrorism, to the FBI's new powers of search and surveillance, to the indefinite detention of both citizens and non-citizens without formal charges, the principles of free speech, due process, and equal protection under the law have been seriously undermined (The State of Civil Liberties 1). By denying us these civil liberties, the Bush Administration has gained too much power over the legislative and judicial branches of government. They are disrupting our system of checks and balances and thus, are violating the Constitution. The Bush Administration’s actions have “undercut the very democracy they are trying to save” (Lane). In order to defeat terrorism, it was necessary for the Bush Administration to act immediately following the events of September 11th. I believe that it was imperative that we retaliate. The Bush Administration chose to do so by issuing several Executive Orders, including the Patriot Act. Unfortunately, these orders have compromised many of our rights guaranteed by the Constitution. I do not think that it would have been possible to fight terrorism without sacrificing a few of these rights, but the Bush Administration has crossed the line by denying us so many of these basic civil liberties. “A free society demands the rule of law. Without it, democracy is meaningless. The government has consistently refused to recognize the protections afforded by the US Constitution and international law, and in doing so, it has failed in its responsibility to maintain a democratic society that is both open to, and accountable to, the people” (The State of Civil Liberties 1). Works Cited Lane, Charles. “Restricting Civil Liberties vs. Fighting Against Terror.” The Washington Post. “The State of Civil Liberties: One Year Later.” Online. Internet. 24 Oct. 2003. Available: . United States. Cong. House. USA Patriot Act. 107th Cong., 1st sess. H. Rept. 3162. Washington: GPO, 2001.