This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Freedom or Indefinite Detention? Which is Safer?

The National Defense Authorization Act and its assault on liberty. What is a threat? Who is a terrorist?

 

I can’t believe this is happening in the United States. The National Defense Authorization Act signed by the president last winter is, in simple terms, an assault on liberty, and a source of perpetual war.

“The National Defense Authorization Act greatly expands the power and scope of the federal government to fight the War on Terror, including codifying into law the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects without trial. Under the new law, the U.S. military has the power to carry out domestic anti-terrorism operations on US soil,” Erik Kain, Forbes.com, Jan. 2, 2012.

Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I do not want to live with perpetual wars all over the globe, or a government that can lock me up without due process, or access to a lawyer. Fortunately, a group of reporters and activists took the law to court.

“In May Chris Hedges, RevolutionTruth, et al, won their lawsuit asserting that indefinite detention violates the Constitution,” Ron Paul. For now we’re safe, safe from our government that is. The president is looking to push the NDAA through congress and we must remain diligent. I am more worried about the NDAA and what it would to our civil liberties, than I am of a terrorist attacking us.

Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We are Americans, and if it weren’t for our freedoms written in the Bill of Rights, there never would have been a Suffrage movement, or a Civil Rights movement, just a few milestones from our most recent history. We don’t need more laws, or wars to make us safe.

The government has gone amuck since 2001. In the name of security, are we to sacrifice our liberty? Sacrificing liberty will not make us safer. In fact, we’ll be less safe. The NDAA is an extension of the Patriot Act that was supposed to expire. Remember, it was only temporary. Why does any president need the authority to detain United States Citizens? How is that going to protect us?

Let's look at the theory that I am paranoid and the government is not that bad. Some folks argue, why care if the government spies on you, if you have nothing to hide? Terrorist are a problem, we need security. Here’s the problem:  What is the definition of a terrorist? It could be anybody the government deems a threat. But what is a threat?

Recently the President signed a bill barring protesters from entering protected “ secret service locations” (which could be anywhere) that are protecting  “important people” doing “important things”, because that’s a threat.

“Under H.R. 347, which has more commonly been labeled the Trespass Bill by Congress, knowingly entering a restricted area that is under the jurisdiction of Secret Service protection can garner an arrest. The law is actually only a slight change to earlier legislation that made it an offense to knowingly and willfully committ such a crime.

Under the Trespass Bill’s latest language chance, however, someone could end up in law enforcement custody for entering an area that they don’t realize is Secret Service protected and “engages in disorderly or disruptive conduct” or “impede[s] or disrupt[s] the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions” News Chicago, March 10,, 2012.  

Protesters who are peaceably assembling to protest their grievances with the government, are not a threat! That’s a fundamental American right of the people in this country, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of theOr the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Article I of the Bill Of Rights.

We must never take the Bill Of Rights for granted. It is our civic duty to keep our government in check, and protect our liberty. Freedom isn’t free! Freedom requires all of us to protect the liberties we hold dear. We are revolutionaries. Remember?

We fought for our freedom from the British who tried to squelch free speech, our right to liberty, privacy, and the pursuit of happiness. Are we to let our own government oppress us now in the name of "security"? As one of the great revolutionaries once said, “Those who sacrifice liberty for security, deserve neither liberty or security”, Benjamin Franklyn. 

Sources: 

Archives.gov

 

 

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?