Judge Rules Against Part of the Patriot Act

September 29, 2004 4:52 PM

Judge Rules Against Patriot Act Provision
In what can only be described as "a good thing", a US District judge has found that "Surveillance powers granted to the FBI under the Patriot Act, a cornerstone of the Bush Administration's war on terror, were ruled unconstitutional".
posted by fenriq (22 comments total)

Damn, munged the syntax on the quote. Sorry about that.
posted by fenriq at 4:54 PM on September 29, 2004

Thank you once again ACLU.
posted by Keyser Soze at 4:57 PM on September 29, 2004

This is great...now how many more provisions to get declared unconstitutional? (and--more worrying, can the Supremes overturn this Judge?)
posted by amberglow at 4:58 PM on September 29, 2004

I believe the Supreme Court can overturn any lower court (and that's pretty much all of them).

Wouldn't it be easier to just start over from scratch and draft some legislation that doesn't erase some of our most basic rights? And can it be named something a little less polarizing than Patriot Act, especially when it has NOTHING to do with Patriotism?
posted by fenriq at 5:04 PM on September 29, 2004

Why does he hate America?
posted by Ty Webb at 5:05 PM on September 29, 2004

Why does the patriot act hate America?
posted by Keyser Soze at 5:08 PM on September 29, 2004

Your judges have their work cut out for them. Apparently, you're going to be outsourcing torture from now on. Does getting punted off to Syria for a beating count as cruel and unusual punishment?
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 5:14 PM on September 29, 2004

These activist judges are sending the wrong message on terror. There's nothing complicated about patriotism. I remember when I visited Ground Zero on that terrible day, a firefighter holding a baby in his arms said to me, "Whatever it takes." If we listen to the trial lawyers at the ACLU, the terrorists will strike again.
posted by digaman at 6:24 PM on September 29, 2004

The above message was brought to you by Bush/Cheney 04: Lying and smearing their way to 4 more years! ; >
posted by amberglow at 6:31 PM on September 29, 2004

Ummmm, and suspending the Fourth Amendment would have helped that baby in what way?

Is it ok with you that a record number of searches are being done through the FISA, meaning nobody knows but the entity that requested the warrant? Does it seem strange to you that there should be an almost 50% increase in these requests in a year? Does it seem odd that we allegedly have such a proliferation of bad guys so bad that we have to invoke the secret spy and terrorist court?

If you are cool living in a nice "safe" police state, you do that. Don't come crying to us if they bug your phone. But as for me, I like the idea of due process. What this judge said is that "conducting secret, unchallengeable searches" is wrong. If that's being an activist judge, we need more of them. If they really do "hate us for our freedoms" -- a claim I find juvenile and devoid of logic -- then they have truly defeated you.
posted by ilsa at 6:46 PM on September 29, 2004

These activist judges are sending the wrong message on terror.

Yes. They should lock up those judges and send them to Gitmo fortwith, without telling anyone who they are, where they've been sent, or why they've been sent there.

The Republic would be sooooooooo much stronger if we didn't have these pesky judges limiting what politicians can do.

Once that's done the President in his wisdom can also start opening concentration camps to take care of all that nasty political dissidence, because voices of protest send the wrong message on terror.

Now remind me, who was it exactly that "hates freedom"? I forgot.
posted by clevershark at 6:46 PM on September 29, 2004

Does getting punted off to Syria for a beating count as cruel and unusual punishment?

Nah, because the Syrians do the beating, that's the beauty of it. Although this outsourcing is sending American torturer jobs overseas and wrecking our economy.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:51 PM on September 29, 2004

I'm sure digaman is being subtle and has slipped one past you guys. I certainly hope so.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:07 PM on September 29, 2004

Digaman, that was the greatest mefi comment ever. You are the greateset american since Teddy Roosevelt. You make Captain America look like Kruschev.
posted by lumpenprole at 7:11 PM on September 29, 2004

Joe's spleen: I have a feeling his tounge was planted firmly in cheek. Check out his profile & read some of his writing and I think you will agree.

The really sad thing is that discourse in this country has sunk to such a low level that his caricature of blind patriotism is so easily taken seriously. What was once hyperbolic has become commonplace.

AMERICA bless GOD!!
Slogan on an actual bumper sticker I saw a few times here in Missouri. I don't get it. Have we become so powerful that God exists by our leave? If so, that is one heck of an army.
posted by jester69 at 7:41 PM on September 29, 2004

He was kidding!!! right?
posted by goneill at 8:52 PM on September 29, 2004

"You cannot allow the terrorists to dictate weather a society can be free or not."
George Bush speaking to Bill O'Reilly 9-27-04

So I guess that means we can get rid of the Patriot Act altogether.
posted by Tenuki at 8:52 PM on September 29, 2004

IN SOVIET RUSSIA, AMERICA BLESS GOD! </slashdot>
posted by hattifattener at 9:02 PM on September 29, 2004

AMERICA bless GOD!!
Slogan on an actual bumper sticker I saw a few times here in Missouri.

It was probably on my brother in laws pickup.
posted by damnitkage at 2:52 AM on September 30, 2004

I remember when I visited Ground Zero on that terrible day, a firefighter holding a baby in his arms said to me, "Whatever it takes."

That firefighter was un-American.
posted by rushmc at 7:55 AM on September 30, 2004

I'm sure faze will pop up soon to explain how this is not a "good thing".
posted by adamrice at 9:08 AM on September 30, 2004

Judge: FBI can't force casinos to release records
posted by homunculus at 12:43 PM on September 30, 2004