The Patriot Act: America’s Trojan horse for tyranny
Maureen Steele

When the smoke was still rising from the rubble of the Twin Towers, the American people were reeling, grieving—and vulnerable. That vulnerability was weaponized. In one of the most cunning bait-and-switch maneuvers in modern history, our government handed us the Patriot Act—an Orwellian surveillance framework disguised as national defense.

We didn’t just get conned—we got conquered. Not by terrorists from abroad, but by tyrants in suits.

The Patriot Act was born less than two months after 9/11, passed with breakneck speed, virtually unread by the very members of Congress who signed it into law. It was pitched to the American public as a necessary evil to root out terrorists, an emergency measure to prevent “the next 9/11.” But emergency powers have a funny way of becoming permanent. Just ask history. The Patriot Act was the lie that opened the gates.

And now, in 2025, as documents, whistleblowers, and independent investigations slowly peel back the layers of that dark day, it becomes harder and harder to ignore the possibility that the whole thing—from the missing NORAD response to the curious collapses of steel towers—was a staged pretext to install the surveillance state.

Was Bin Laden just a distraction, with the real target being us?

The Patriot Act opened the backdoor to hell: Warrantless wiretaps, bulk data collection, secret courts (FISA) rubber-stamping government spying, metadata hoarding by the NSA, backroom deals with Google, AT&T, Apple, and every other tech giant with their hands in your pocket and your private life.

The Fourth Amendment? Eviscerated. Your emails? Scanned. Your phone calls? Flagged. Your texts? Saved. Your browsing history? Tracked. All because you might one day pose a “threat” to the state. Not an external state—the state. The federal government. Washington, D.C. The same snakes who spied on President Trump using fake FISA warrants now think they have a constitutional right to spy on you.

They don’t. And they never did. Terror Was the Excuse. Tyranny Was the Goal.

Don’t think for a second that the Patriot Act is about Islamists with box cutters. It was never about jihad. It was always about jurisdiction—over you. This law was the legal foundation for the rise of the deep state, for the surveillance capitalism of Big Tech, and for the metastasizing power of intelligence agencies like the CIA and NSA who now operate with near-total impunity. They’re not watching terrorists anymore. They’re watching parents at school board meetings. They’re watching J6 grandmothers. They’re watching dissenters.

Still feel safe?

Every dictator knows that fear is the best salesman. But the brilliance of the Patriot Act wasn’t just that it was sold during a time of fear—it was that it rebranded tyranny as patriotism. They knew we’d take the bait. They called it the Patriot Act. They played on our grief, our trauma, our love of country—and then gutted everything that made this country free. You see, when freedom dies quietly it’s usually wrapped in a flag.

They gave us a choice: safety or liberty. And as Benjamin Franklin once warned, we chose wrong—and we got neither.

The surveillance state is unconstitutional, un-American, and utterly unacceptable. We the People never consented to this. It’s time to strip it down to the studs. The NSA has no right to scan your calls. The FBI has no business reading your texts. The CIA should not be embedded in your iPhone.

Let this serve as a message to the government, to the D.C. swamp, to the bureaucrats hiding behind their glowing monitors in Langley and Fort Meade: We see you. And the era of secrecy is over.

The American people will not be monitored like livestock, profiled like criminals, or watched like threats.

Repeal the Patriot Act. Repeal the surveillance state. Reclaim the Republic.

Because if we don’t, they’ll keep chipping away until we no longer recognize the country we pledged our allegiance to. And that’s not patriotism. That’s treason.

 

 

Maureen Steele is a visionary force at the intersection of media, law,  high-level relationship-building and grassroots movements.  As the Co-Founder of American Made, she has dedicated her career to crafting compelling narratives, forging meaningful connections, and developing impactful strategies. With expertise spanning paralegal work, media representation, and strategic storytelling, or being at the forefront of major national movements, Maureen possesses a rare blend of analytical precision and creative brilliance. 

A master of words and influence, Maureen is now shaping public narratives through her new American-Made Essay Series, celebrating the resilience and spirit of the American workforce. Whether crafting high-value real property biographies, delivering powerful speeches, or elevating brand messaging, she transforms ideas into movements and transactions into legacies. Beyond writing, Maureen is a dynamic media spokesperson and relationship architect, seamlessly navigating influential circles and connecting visionaries with opportunities. Her extensive media experience, coupled with a robust network of industry leaders, makes her an unparalleled asset in amplifying voices and fostering strategic partnerships. In her current role Maureen continues to bridge the worlds of finance, law, and storytelling, ensuring that every client and project she touches is positioned for lasting impact. With a career built on integrity, creativity, and an innate understanding of human connection, she is a powerhouse strategist whose influence extends far beyond the industries she serves.

 

 

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