Taking liberties : the war on terror and the erosion of American democracy

Resource Information

The work Taking liberties : the war on terror and the erosion of American democracy represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Austin Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

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Label

Taking liberties : the war on terror and the erosion of American democracy

Title remainder

the war on terror and the erosion of American democracy

Statement of responsibility

Susan N. Herman

Creator

• trueHerman, Susan
• Herman, Susan N

Subject

• Civil rights -- United States
• trueDemocracy
• Detention of persons -- United States
• Electronic surveillance -- United States
• trueAntiterrorist policy
• trueCivil rights
• trueUnited States -- Politics and government
• War and emergency powers -- United States
• trueWar on Terrorism, 2001-2009
• trueFreedom
• Internal security -- United States
• Terrorism -- Prevention | Law and legislation -- United States

Language

eng

Summary

"Since 9/11, the U.S. government has acted in a variety of ways--some obvious, some nearly invisible--to increase its surveillance and detention power over American citizens and residents. While most of us have made our peace with the various new restrictions on our civil liberties after 9/11, we have done it without really understanding what those restrictions are or the extent of their reach. Moreover, we tend to think that if the national security state overreaches, we shouldn't worry--the courts will come to the rescue and rein it in. In Taking Liberties, Susan Herman explains how this came to be. Beginning in late 2001, the Bush Administration undertook a series of measures, some of which were understandable and valid given the context, to expand federal surveillance authority. Yet as she shows through a series of gripping episodes involving ordinary Americans, they overreached to the point eroding basic constitutional liberties. Herman spells out in vivid detail why all Americans should be worried about the governmental dragnet that has slowly and at times imperceptibly expanded its coverage over the American public. The erosion of civil liberties doesn't just impact immigrants, Americans of Middle Eastern descent, or Guantanamo detainees, but any American who appears to be engaging in provocative political activity. Taking Liberties is a wake-up call for all Americans, who remain largely unaware of the post-9/11 surveillance regime's insidious and continuing growth"--

Storyline

• trueIssue-oriented

Tone

• trueImpassioned
• trueThought-provoking

Writing style

• truePersuasive

Assigning source

Provided by publisher

Cataloging source

DLC

Illustrations

• illustrations
• plates

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography