Were you born to resist...

Congress voted to extend the Patriot Act for another 10 years. In a 257-171 vote in favor of the extention the majority of Republicans fully supported the extention. Many Democrats also supported the extention but re-hashed concerns that the act still comprimises Americans' civil liberties. I guess the ACLU will have 10 more years of complaining to do.

Here's my take on the Patriot Act. I agree with those who say that it infringes on our civil liberties. However, I feel that this infringement is necessary in a era of terrorism and international war. Personally, I am ok with Big Brother checking my phones, reading e-mails and knowing my library habits. Yes, the government is limiting my personal freedom with this. But again, I am ok with that. It makes me feel safe. In the same sense (and this is stretching it I know) I feel that the President would love it if he could eat breakfast, use the phone or ride a bike (successfully) without Secret Servicemen over his shoulder. But those men, although they are infringing on his privacy, are necessary and helpful. Please feel free to let me know if that was a terrible comparison.

Now, many argue that the Act has done nothing while others contend that since the act was put into law in 2001 that there have been no terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. No one's to say that the absence of terrorism in the U.S. is due to the act, but I am certain that it has been a helpful tool in this very abstract War on Terror.

I love the United States
I love Baseball
I love chocolate milkshakes