A Modern Day Witch Hunt

During the Crucible reading I could not help but relate this part of history to an account that is occurring now that seems to echo the witch hunt and overall mood of the public. Weeks after 9/11 the Patriot Act was passed and put into effect. The fear of terrorists after the attacks was vast and spreading within the people of our nation. Even though the overall sentiment of panic is not as strongly felt as the days after the 9/11 attacks, the fear in people is still lingering. The Patriot Act gives the government the authority to access your tax records, the books you check out, wire tapping your phone, the right to break into your home, followed by many other new laws that are not in line with the constitution. All of these searches are now done in the hope of finding terrorists before they plan attacks.
The Patriot Act seems to soothe many minds of fear that terrorists will no longer harm, securing that everything is being done to combat them. The dread built in people that still resides after 9/11 mirrors the fright that people had in the witch hunts of 1692. The panic led to rash decisions to do absolutely everything to contest this, which ultimately led to the unwarranted deaths of nineteen people. In times of panic it seems that minds become fragile and more susceptible to going along with in justices in times of terror because the immediate effect is comforting. Many citizens of Salem were not seen questioning the unproven claims that led to the deaths of community members can easily parallel citizens now sitting alongside the Patriot act unquestionably, but comforted.