Since 9/11 politicians have been forced to pass legislation that could very well be ruled unconstitutional. One of these, passed in the heat of the anti-terrorism fear within the U.S. is called "The Patriot Act." "The civil liberties of ordinary Americans have taken a tremendous blow with this law, especially our privacy to online communications and activities" (EFF 2001 2). The law itself is enormous- 342 pages in all. It permits far more extensive surveillance. For example, surveillance on all foreign students now in American schools. Furthermore, this bill authorizes funds for the Attorney-General and Secretary of State to pay as rewards for "turning in" suspected terrorists who would be found guilty- rewards up to $250,000! The government have the Courts on their side. For example, "A special three-judge panel overturned a decision by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in May that certain surveillance provisions in the USA PATROIT Act infringed on citizens' privacy. Monday's decision means the government will face fewer hurdles when it seeks to listen to telephone conversations and read the e-mail of people who are suspected of espionage or terrorism" (McCaffrey 2002 1). The Constitutionality of this law continues to be challenged. On "January 23, 2004, U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins ruled that Section 805 (which classifies "expert advice or assistance" as material support to terrorism) was vague and in violation of the First and Fifth Amendments, marking the first legal decision to set a part of the Act aside" (Wikipedia 3).. "Nearly 400 city governments-including most major US metropolitan centers-as well as seven state legislatures have passed resolutions condemning the Patriot Act's trampling on basic democratic rights" (Van Auken 2). But, last July Congress voted, with minor changes, to make this Act permanent. The Courts will ge...