Security for Liberty: Ten Years after 9/11, Why Americans Should Care about the Extension of the Patriot Act and its Civil Liberties Implications
![handle is hein.journals/fclj13 and id is 87 raw text is: SECURITY FOR LIBERTY: TEN YEARS AFTER 9/11, WHY
AMERICANS SHOULD CARE ABOUT THE EXTENSION OF THE
PATRIOT ACT AND ITS CIVIL LIBERTIES IMPLICATIONS
Angela D. Bussone*
I. INTRODUCTION
As he was taxiing the twin turbine engine commuter airplane
toward the runway to depart from Raleigh, North Carolina on the morn-
ing of September 11, 2001, the air traffic controller's voice came
through the radio and uttered a command that would forever change the
pilot's life: All flights ordered frozen on the ground.' The pilot
scanned the horizon, which had the deceiving look of being a textbook
flying day with its vast, clear, blue sky, for signs of distress at the air-
port, but nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary.2 He turned to the
captain seated to his left, who was reviewing the projected flight path,
and asked about the unfamiliar phrase.3 The captain had never heard
this statement in his career, and both questioned what had led to the
grounding of flights.4
Inside the airport, pilots gathered in the designated lounge, una-
ware of what had taken place only minutes before in New York City,
discussing possibilities and trying to contact other pilots to see if this
was an isolated event, or if flights had been grounded at other airports
as well.' A few were able to make and receive a couple of calls before
* Angela D. Bussone, Juris Doctor, May 2011, Florida Coastal School of Law. I
would like to thank my husband, Steve, for his endless support and inspiration.
I Interview with Anonymous Pilot, Corporate Airlines, code share commuter partner
of Midway Airlines, in Raleigh, North Carolina (September 11, 2001), and Ponte
Vedra Beach, Florida (September 11, 2010) [hereinafter 9/11 Account]. This is a
retelling to the author from the personal account of a commercial pilot who was flying
the morning of September 11, 2001, and the events that occurred thereafter as the pilot
perceived them. The pilot requested his identity remain confidential.
2 Id.
3 Id.
4 Id.
5 Id.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/fclj13&div=6&collection=journals&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
What Is HeinOnline?
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most