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| How Patriotic is the Patriot Act?: Freedom Versus Security in the Age of Terrorism | 
 enlarge | Author: Amitai Etzioni
Publisher: Routledge
Category: Book
List Price: $30.95
Buy New: $1.05
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (4 reviews)
Sales Rank: 677894
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 208
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.6
ISBN: 0415950473
Dewey Decimal Number: 345.7302
EAN: 9780415950473
ASIN: 0415950473
Publication Date: October 20, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In his most recent State of the Union Address, President Bush called upon Congress to enact legislation that would extend the time-limited provisions of the controversial anti-terror law known as the Patriot Act (they are scheduled to expire on December 31st, 2005). Championed by Attorney General John Ashcroft and approved by Congress in the fearful aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Patriot Act has been cast by its critics as the greatest threat to our civil liberties since the Alien and Sedition Acts or the suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War. Yet, as Amitai Etzioni argues, 'any reasonable deliberation about our national security is the recognition that we face two profound commitments: protecting our homeland and safeguarding our rights.'
In this short book, Etzioni, the well-known and respected public intellectual and communitarian thinker, charts a middle course, or third way 'between those who are committed to shore up our liberties but blind to the needs of public security, as well as those who never met a right they are not willing to curtail to give authorities an even freer hand.' This book will prove a useful guide for citizens looking for a thought provoking, well-reasoned and sober analysis of one of the hot button issues of our time.
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Best They Can Do March 10, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As compelling as it may seem, the "Geniuses" in Washington have come up with a whopper of a lie this time. "We need to spy on otherwise law abiding citizens to secure our nation". At the same time we get what we deserve, because we as a nation have become complacent. We seem to feel the folks in Washington will ensure our Constitutional rights. After all they took an oath to do so-right?
This author opens up the whole can of worms, tells us just exactly what the government is snooping in. What you do on-line, which web-sites you visit, how much money is in your savings account, and whether or not your check book is overdrawn. Wow! They also want to know if you have a library card, and what books you read if you have one, and listen in on your call home to mother. All in the name of security. At least that is what they say. We cannot, or wiil not secure our "Swiss Cheese Borders", or secure our ports, but we can listen in on your phone call, just because we can.
This author explains the shadeness of National Security, and how the government will use any excuse to spy on its citizens. At the same time it does appear we are asleep. Why just last week it was revealed the FBI has been doing just what the alarmist said they would do with this power, over step the boundaries, and dig into the business of the innocent. You know what we heard was only about 20% of the whole picture.
If this book does not remind you of the Secret Police in some Commmunist nations I do not know what will. Take the Government, and pair it with the likes of Choice Point, or Axiom, and how much information collectively they have on the average American, and we may as well be walking around naked in public.
For an eye opening look at just what we as Americans have given up in the name of Security, read this very revealing book, and make up your own mind, as to whether or not this remains the land of the "FREE".
 The Most Precious Thing We Have Is Our Freedom June 18, 2005
5 out of 12 found this review helpful
America is about our freedom. It is the most important thing we have. The slogan on the New Hampshire license tells how very important our freedom is. It reads "Live Free or Die." If the American people allow fear to change their thinking - it will be a very sad day. Fear of terrorism could very well be far more dangerous to us than actual terrorism.
The tragedy of 9/11 is far more than the terrible suicide attack of that day. The greatest tragedy could be in our own hands. If the American people give up their freedoms to the government for the illusion of safety from terrorism it would be a huge tragedy. The worst terrorism in history has always been committed by out-of-control governments such as what happened in Russia and Germany in the last 100 years. American People, do not ever give up your freedoms to the government such as some of the provisions in the patriot act that give away your freedom. The entire vitality of the American experience has been and always will be, if we are to stay vital, the placing of individual freedom as the most important value in the land. No amount of marginal illusionary additional security gained by giving up our freedoms could ever be worth it as we would watch the destruction of the vitality of our land.
Comments on How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? March 12, 2005
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
On Amitai Etzioni's How Patriotic is the Patriot Act?: Freedom versus Security in the Age of Terrorism, comments by Robert B. Smith, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Patrick Henry proclaimed, "Give me liberty or give me death!" Amitai Etzioni asks: If you are dead, what good is liberty? He then assesses the trade-offs between stricter governmental security measures designed to prevent deaths due to terrorists, and the consequences of these measures for reducing freedom. Drawing upon interpretations of the fall of Germany's Weimar Republic (pp. 12-14), Etzioni suggests that governmental ineffectiveness will precipitate a breakdown of democracy. To preserve its legitimacy after 9/11, the US government needed to effectively combat terrorism; the Patriot Act, with all its flaws and restrictions on liberty (p. 9), was designed as a means to that end.
An alternative interpretation of the breakdown of democracy in the Weimar Republic explains the reasons for governmental ineffectiveness as the result of the polarization between the far Right (the aristocracy, big business, nationalists, and antisemites) and the far Left (communists); all of these groupings denied legitimacy to the Republic at its inception. Their failure to support the Republic prevented effective governmental actions that would minimize the impacts of hyperinflation and unemployment. It was in this environment that Hitler rose to power. He was not elected to office; rather a group of ultra conservatives persuaded the senile von Hindenberg to give Hitler power, which he then used to restrict civil liberties, annihilate Jews, and wage war (Henry Ashby Turner, Jr., Hitler's Thirty Days to Power: January 1933. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1996).
The Patriot Act enables the government to restrict civil liberties in order to provide security, thereby alleviating the public's fears of future terrorist attacks. But governmental agencies can manipulate the climate of fear of terrorists and thus may garner support for tightening restrictions on civil liberties. Etzioni's analysis of public opinion data (pp. 16-21) documents that after 9/11 the apprehensive public wanted security and, unlike Patrick Henry, not death; therefore the public supported restrictions on civil liberties. As time passed, and as their fears abated, the public desired fewer restrictions on freedom. However, the Patriot Act lowered the level of freedom in the US and, apparently, the public has accommodated to this change, believing that that these measures, although they have been somewhat softened, are now at the appropriate level for the US (p. 21). After the threats are removed, rolling back the restrictions on liberty may be difficult because some elites may resist a rollback, and the general public may not sufficiently value liberty (p. 20).
Etzioni advocates a national ID card that would uniquely identify an individual and prevent identity theft. He states: "It is essential to develop reliable means of identification that work both online and offline" (p. 108). Toward this end he develops the following three-phase process: (1) Fortify drivers' licenses by standardizing their design across the states, issuing them only on the basis of appropriate breeder documents, and using technology to ensure that they are authentic (pp. 111-116). (2) Add biometrics -- fingerprints, iris and retina scans, signature recognition, and voice recognition (p. 118). (3) In the future use pure biometrics: "One's finger, face, iris, or some other unique feature will provide all the identification one needs"(p. 119). One should note, however, that fake IDs did not cause the attack of 9/11; zealots with appropriate identification may be willing to undertake suicidal attacks so as to advance their political or religious goals.
The vast majority of fake IDs are either produced by college students who are underage for drinking beer (but not for fighting in Iraq) or by companies catering to this demand (Warren St. John, "In the ID Wars, the Fakes Gain," Fashion & Style section, NY Times, 3/6/05); Richard A. Clarke, NY Times Magazine, 3/6/05, p. 20). The demand for fake IDs would be considerably reduced if the age limit for drinking alcohol were lowered to eighteen and seductive beer advertisements eliminated. These measures would take the profit out of fake ID services, and slow the development of technologies for producing fakes. This change could enhance both liberty and security; these desirable goals are not necessarily in conflict.
Nation building is difficult: it requires the simultaneous development of the economy, the polity, educational and health-related institutions, national identities that transcend the local and idiosyncratic, and a common culture of tolerance. As Etzioni points out, when preconditions for a transition to democracy are sparse, US interventions aimed to accelerate change will have limited effects. He lists both factors facilitating the formation of democracy and the constituting factors enabling a democracy to function. The former include sufficient social and economic development, rule of law, and civility; the latter include political rights, civil rights, transparency, and free, competitive elections (pp. 138-139). Rather than imposing change on a country, which most likely will be resisted by its elites and citizens, Etzioni advocates that the US pursue a restrained approach by working with existing elites, gradually moving them toward sustainable political, economic, and social change (pp. 146-150).
Etzioni's brief book can serve as a model for policy analysis. It deals with an important issue -- the balance between personal freedom and collective security in the age of terrorism; it presents principled analyses and suggestions for change; and it is thoroughly documented and uses empirical data consistent with his interpretations. Etzioni assumes that some restrictions on personal freedom are needed to enhance collective security, especially from terrorists' attacks; he aims to define a centrist position between the extremes. Given that threats to our security may have abated, the centrist position can now move more toward the libertarian pole. Now the key challenge to policymakers is to formulate strategies and programs that would enhance both individual freedom and collective security.
scroll down and read the reviews for yourself December 16, 2004
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
In the new book, HOW PATRIOTIC IS THE PATRIOT ACT?: FREEDOM VERSUS SECURITY IN THE AGE OF TERRORISM (Routledge, 2004), a communitarian way of thinking is applied to one of the hottest topics of the day. The author, Dr. Amitai Etzioni, argues that when it comes to national security we face two profound commitments: protecting our homeland and safeguarding our rights. Demonstrating that extremism in the defense of either security or liberty is not a virtue, the book charts a middle course between those who are committed to the preservation of our liberties but blind to the needs of public security and those who are willing to sacrifice our cherished freedoms for the sake of preventing terrorism.
For the unfamiliar, communitarianism is a moderate brand of political and sociological philosophy that seeks to balance rights and responsibilities in our society. Led by Dr. Etzioni, The Communitarian Network actively seeks to engage people in this ongoing discussion of communitarian thought, policy, and society, and very much encourages anyone interested in joining into a dialogue to e-mail the Communitarian Network office at comnet@gwu.edu.
Below are comments from various leaders and scholars about the book.
NADINE STROSSEN
PRESIDENT, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
PROFESSOR OF LAW, NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL
"Amitai Etzioni presents a thoughtful assessment of the controversial post 9/11 measures and proposals that undermine civil liberties in the name of national security. Even for those of us who disagree with some of his conclusions, this book provides valuable insights into the essential task of maximizing safety while minimizing invasions of liberty."
LARRY D. THOMPSON
SENIOR FELLOW, THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
FORMER DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
"Etzioni has produced a detailed, very thoughtful, balanced but provocative examination of how our nation MUST respond to the very real threat of terrorism. He demonstrates decisively that the notion that we should not increase governmental authority to protect innocent civilians from ruthless terrorists, lest we sacrifice our precious freedoms, is simply based on a false premise."
MARK KNOBLAUCH
BOOK REVIEWER, BOOKLIST
"Etzioni concerns himself less with the Patriot Act itself than with broader questions of how well in a post-9/11 environment American society can protect citizens against terrorist threats without damaging or discarding those individual rights that are the nation's legal hallmarks...Etzioni saves his most profound criticism for current American efforts to build democratic societies in countries lacking either the social or political institutions and traditions within which to build rational orders respectful of individual rights and tolerant of diverse opinion. Readers looking for a rigorous legal encounter with the Patriot Act may be disappointed, but Etzioni has provided a very approachable resource for student essays and debates."
DOUGLAS W. KMIEC
CHAIR OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
CONSTITUTIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL TO RONALD REGAN
"This book is very welcome. Dr. Etzioni shows us how to avoid the paired vices anchored in terrorist-induced fear or police state-abetted oppression. It would indeed be cowardly and unpatriotic not to take reasoned steps against the purveyors of hate, but it would be equally rash to under-appreciate the significance of a rule of law that aspires to advance human dignity. Finding the balance between civil liberty and national security requires wisdom, and this volume orients the public debate toward it."
VIET D. DINH
PROFESSOR OF LAW, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
FORMER U.S. ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR LEGAL POLICY
"Favoring facts over rhetoric and supporting his analysis with solid research, Etzioni sheds light on debates dominated by heat and smoke. Beyond answering the specific question posed in the title of the book, `How Patriotic is the Patriot Act?' is an indispensable guide in the quest for those elusive policies that make America both safe and free."
PAUL ROSENZWEIG
SENIOR LEGAL RESEARCH FELLOW, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION
"Amitai Etzioni's comprehensive survey of freedom and security issues is iconoclastic and thought-provoking. Breaking the tired paradigm of balancing safety and liberty, Etzioni seeks a third way, grounded in history and in a sense of community. Though many will debate his prescriptions, none should ignore them. This book is must reading for anyone concerned with issues relating to civil liberties and national security."
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - How Liberty is Lost
Chapter 2 - An Overview of Security Measures
Chapter 3 - Privacy and Security in Electronic Communications
Chapter 4 - Public Health and the Threat of Bioterrorism
Chapter 5 - A Case for National ID Cards?
Chapter 6 - The Limits of Nation Building
Senior Advisor to the Carter White House, Dr. Etzioni is currently a University Professor at The George Washington University. To order one of his books (including the recent FROM EMPIRE TO COMMUNITY: A NEW APPROACH TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS), visit any major bookstore, or go to the Communitarian Network's website at www.communitariannetwork.com. For his most current communitarian musings, visit www.amitai-notes.com/blog/.
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