Abstract
It was only weeks after the planes crashed into the twin towers on that bright, sunlit morning of September 11th, 200l, that it became apparent that the most important challenge now facing American democracy was how well would we strike a balance between liberty and security. This paper will look at the history of civil liberties in light of threats to national security. It will examine components of the US Patriot Act, how these provisions are being applied and the potential implication of the act on social work education and practice. Suggestions of how social work might respond to these new realities will be discussed.
Highlights
It was only weeks after the planes crashed into the twin towers on that bright, sunlit morning of September 11th, 200l, that it became apparent that one of the most important challenges to face American democracy was how well would we strike a balance between liberty and security
The Patriot Act is currently undergoing review by the Senate Judiciary Committee, there is still great pressure to permanently legalize increased government snooping on citizens and to enact ever tighter controls on political dissent and organized advocacy
This paper has reviewed the sordid history of national security efforts to muzzle dissent and free speech in times of national crisis
Summary
The US has a checkered history in its sometimes very open disregard for its own human rights and civil libertarian heritage (Chang, 2002; Cole & Dempsey, 2002; Leone & Anrig, 2003; McDougall, 2004). While no evidence was ever given for the necessity of the forced exile of this large group, two-thirds of which were American citizens, they were kept in harsh and often punitive conditions for much of the war It was not until forty-four years later with the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 that a public apology and modest financial reparation was granted to either the detainees or their descendants. Its sole purpose was to expose and root out the incipient influence of communism in American society During this sordid chapter in American history, Communist Party leaders, political dissenters, liberal academics, left-leaning entertainment personalities, radical labor-unionists, and leaders of a broad range of progressive political organizations were prosecuted and convicted based solely on their political views and/or their perceived association with a worldwide communist conspiracy. A new and potentially even more virulent effort has recently begun, mostly notably authorized in the language and provisions of the US Patriot Act
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