If anyone thinks that the "compromise" that Senators Lindsay Graham, John McCain, and Senator Warner just offered really protects the Constitution or is a step in the right direction. They should read this articles, and my letter to Senator Graham:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/25/AR2006092501514.html
I sent this message to Senator Graham:
Senator Graham;
I know you think you have "compromised" with the Bush Administration on laws allowing detentions of persons as "enemy combattants," but expanding the definition the way they wanted it expanded opens a pandoras box of future probabilities for abuse. Already we've seen that a huge number of people have been detained whose only fault was to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and who are still being held simply because the Government is unwilling to admit they made mistakes and has the power to do so.
Under the expanded definitions, someone who contributes to an Irish Catholic Charity could someday be held as an "enemy combattant" simply because that charity supports an auxilliary of the IRA -- even though the person doing so has know knowledge that that is true. They claim that this law would never be applied against citizens, which is awful enough, but as the Washington Post notes;
"Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies, said that by including those who "supported hostilities" -- rather than those who "engage in acts" against the United States -- the government intends the legislation to sanction its seizure and indefinite detention of people far from the battlefield." This could eventually include people like you and I. Does that sound far-fetched? As critics note:
"The definition applies to foreigners living inside or outside the United States and does not rule out the possibility of designating a U.S. citizen as an unlawful combatant."
And if no-one can challenge their detention in the courts, then the government has the right to disapear you, me, or anyone it feels is aiding and abetting the enemy. Today it could be "Democrats" and "liberals", tomorrow Republicans who take the Constitution too seriously. The enemy for the moment may be "muslim extremists" but tomorrow it could be "second amendment backers," or "dissident Congressmen."
Think about it. Mistakes happen. Even worse, if the Government is given a power, corrupt or perverse persons generally will abuse it. We are not immune from that in this country.
The can of worms opened up with secret evidence, indefinate detentions and "aggressive interrogation" (torture-lite), is something that is so reprehensible that I would think that any decent American who values the constitution would be aghast at the very notion of ratifying this behavior.
If anything the perpetrators of these things should be getting investigated, facing subpoenas, impeachment, and jail-time, not being compromised with.
This is awful stuff. And the one thing that is certain is that give the Government an inch and it will take a mile -- expecially this bunch in the White House right now.
Chris
Posted by cholte at September 26, 2006 11:35 PM