What Happened to Due Process?
Why are we having a discussion about the detaining of prisoners indefinitely as if it were a subject that we should be discussing in civil society? Where is the moral outrage of the citizens of this country? Are they not concerned about the U.S. Constitution and the rights of their fellow citizens?
posted by Tuli | 8:41 PM
5 Comments:
Because they have their heads up their ...
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We are having this discussion because we choose to "protect" prisoners instead of kill them like we did in days of past. We are forced to coddle this people who if the tables were turned would strike us down without so much as a moment of sadness. When did it become politically correct to assign people the rights granted to citizens under our constitution to people trying to destroy our constitution.
I believe our constitution, or what is left of it, states that our laws not only govern our people, they govern any one who is within the US. So, if these guys have committed crimes, or not, within the US, whether they are citizens or not, they are granted due process, like any body else. This is what makes our country great--that we believe so strongly in the fairness of our system that we can count on it to do the right thing over and over--it's just that good.
If we do not respect our Constitution--the one that has been working for the past 200 years--we will quickly sink into fascism--which is what we are seeing.
For those who have lived through times of fascism, they remember that which instigated all the atrocities--fear. If you remember FDR's response--the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
If you are afraid someone is going to get married to someone of the same sex, or if someone is going to have sex, your fear is hurting you and harming others. There is an old saying: Live and let live. Get out of other people's business.
Trust in the Constitution--it was written by smarter people than you and has passed the test of time. Think about it. If you were accidentally arrested for a crime you did not commit, you would want due process. If our government commits detainees to live out their entire lives in prison, without having committed a crime--or at least, not one we can find evidence for them having committed, then our government is the criminal. We must stand for FREEDOM--for everyone--not just a select few. Because when you select only a few, that group gets smaller and smaller--very quickly.
Another small light in the darkness -- Retired Admiral John Hutson, former U.S. Navy judge advocate general -- in other words, a very important person both in the military and in law -- has found himself so opposed to the nomination of Alberto Gonzalez to the position of Attorney General that he's formed a committee to oppose the appointment. Hutson says himself that he never voted for anyone other than a Republican until the last election, so he's not one of us crazy liberals. But, like any good lawyer, like any true soldier, he does understand the need for due process -- for the protections provided by our Constitution and by international law -- protections provided even to those we think are guilty -- even to those we think are terrorists. I suggest listening to any of the interviews he's given over the last several days. Asked why the U.S. should behave well to terrorists, when they wouldn't behave well in return, he answered, "But the U.S. doesn't behave well in order to get other people to behave well. The U.S. does the right thing for one reason only. Because it is the right thing to do." I was impressed!
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