What are the primary components found within the PATRIOT Act that have had a direct impact upon homeland security capabilities, as well as impediments produced by it? While addressing issues related to privacy and civil liberties, what steps can government and others related to national security take to better seek and maintain such balance?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Impact of the PATRIOT Act on Homeland Security and Civil Liberties
The USA PATRIOT Act, enacted in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has been a subject of controversy regarding its impact on homeland security capabilities and civil liberties. This essay will explore the primary components of the PATRIOT Act that have influenced homeland security, examine the impediments it has created, and propose steps for achieving a better balance between security and civil liberties.
Primary Components of the PATRIOT Act
The PATRIOT Act expanded the powers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies in several key ways:
1. Surveillance: The Act granted authorities the ability to conduct surveillance on suspected terrorists, including wiretapping and monitoring of electronic communications.
2. Information Sharing: It facilitated increased information sharing between law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, and other government entities to enhance coordination and response to potential threats.
3. Financial Monitoring: The Act enabled monitoring of financial transactions to track and disrupt funding sources for terrorist activities.
4. Enhanced Investigative Tools: It provided law enforcement with tools such as roving wiretaps and delayed notification warrants to aid in the investigation and prosecution of terrorism-related offenses.
Impediments Created by the PATRIOT Act
While the PATRIOT Act has bolstered homeland security efforts, it has also raised concerns regarding privacy and civil liberties:
1. Mass Surveillance: The Act’s provisions on surveillance have been criticized for infringing on the privacy rights of individuals, leading to concerns about unchecked government monitoring.
2. Lack of Transparency: Some aspects of the Act, particularly related to national security letters and secret court proceedings, have been cited as obstacles to transparency and accountability.
3. Potential for Abuse: The broad powers granted under the Act have raised fears of potential abuse by authorities, leading to calls for greater oversight and safeguards.
Seeking a Balance Between Security and Civil Liberties
To address these challenges and strike a better balance between security and civil liberties, the government and related stakeholders can take several steps:
1. Enhanced Oversight: Implementing robust oversight mechanisms, such as regular audits and reviews of surveillance activities, can help ensure that government actions comply with legal standards and respect individual rights.
2. Transparency Measures: Increasing transparency around the use of surveillance powers, including reporting on the number of surveillance requests made and their outcomes, can enhance public trust and accountability.
3. Judicial Review: Strengthening judicial review processes for surveillance activities can provide an additional layer of protection against potential abuses and ensure adherence to constitutional principles.
4. Public Education: Educating the public about their rights regarding surveillance and privacy protections can empower individuals to advocate for their civil liberties and hold authorities accountable.
In conclusion, while the PATRIOT Act has been instrumental in enhancing homeland security capabilities, it is essential to address the concerns surrounding privacy and civil liberties. By implementing measures to enhance oversight, transparency, judicial review, and public education, the government can better navigate the delicate balance between security imperatives and individual rights in the pursuit of national security goals.
