November 12, 2004
Patriot Act debated
The seats were filled in Nunemaker Auditorium October 27 while two scholars debated the pros and cons of the Patriot Act. Susan Herman, Ph.D., general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union and professor of law at the Brooklyn School of Law, argued that, while the Patriot Act may help authorities capture terrorists, too many innocent people were affected by its broad language.
Paul Rosensweig, Ph.D., senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C., told the audience the Patriot Act was a necessary component to capture terrorists, and he encouraged the audience to give the government more authority. Rosensweig assured that the government was not abusing citizens' constitutional rights.
"I would surmise that the potential for abuse is significantly less than in the past. The powers thus far have been absolutely essential," he said.
Some of the most controversial provisions, Herman acknowledged, affect citizens' Fourth Amendment rights. The government has the authority to conduct "sneak-and-peaks," where agents may search a house without immediately telling the homeowner of the search. "So you think you were burglarized," Herman contends.
Each candidate delivered their closing statements and two Loyola students from each side delivered a three-minute rebuttal. The event was sponsored by the Loyola Society for Civic Engagement.
Lindsay C. Hilton A'03, Media Relations Specialist
