While America nurses hangovers and revels in rose parades and football, President Obama snuck behind the distractions to sign the NDAA into law today. Although he has made it clear that he reluctantly does so, no one is more reluctant about the act then the socially conscious Americans who recognize the potentially damaging ramifications of “Section D: Counter-terrorism.”
This law leaves wide open a gray area where the federal government can INDEFINITELY DETAIN terrorism suspects without trial. I am not meaning to be alarmist here, but I do aim to educate. What the President is signing has long been declared unconstitutional because it foregoes due process of the law. All in the name of the War on Terrorism, which basically means, the government can do whatever the fuck they want (for your safety, of course).
The NDAA scares me for a number of reasons, but none moreso than the Japanese-Americans’ experience during World War II. Although the United States profusely apologized for it later and vowed for it to never happen again, American citizens (just like me, with Asian features) were uprooted and confined to internment camps because they were suspected of being in cahoots with the enemy. WITHOUT TRIAL.
There is a reason why we have due process, why our founding fathers wrote checks and balances into our Constitution, why Americans have been blessed with civil liberties, which are to be upheld to experience true liberty and freedom.
Shame on you Mr. President. Oh hey, you dropped your backbone.
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MEDIA BLACKOUT !!! The mainstream news is NOT covering this story — please REBLOG and share this with as many of your followers as possible, IF you are adequately educated on the subject and agree with my sentiments above.
To further inform yourself on the NDAA, you can read the differing viewpoints through the following links and make your own decision. Thanks for reading.
The ACLU:
http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/president-obama-signs-indefinite-detention-law
The Guardian (UK):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/jan/02/ndaa-historic-assault-american-liberty?newsfeed=true
S. Floyd Mori, Mercury News (Head of the Japanese American Citizens League):
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_19413004
Lawfare:
http://www.lawfareblog.com/2011/12/ndaa-faq-a-guide-for-the-perplexed/
imrjay:
This scares me when I think of this in respect to movies I have seen where a country has turned against it own citizens where they detain them by the masses if they do not support the nation’s “philosophy” or detains those that do not stand for its “just” cause.
I think of germany for example during the reign of Adolf Hitler. Those did not believe in his dream or his vision were detained and killed.
What if in the distant future this ruling were to be stretched to that point here in America. What If america becomes blinded by its supremacy that begins to embark in further world domination. What if we did stand in the way of future tyranny, would we be then considered a threat to society? What will we become of then? Can we be detained for trying to maintain freedom, liberty, and justice which were once the foundation of this country. Although Im sure this policy was passed under good nature to “protect it’s citizens” but this policy definitely opens the door for it be abused in the future. I hope ambition does not blind moral integrity.
The questions that flourish in my head when I think of our future; it is a little grim but I do believe there is hope — so long as we educate ourselves and keep our eyes open. We need to filter out the bullshit that is fed by media which is intended to distract us (sports, facebook, tumblr, superstar gossip, whats the newest iphone, tv shows, etc.). I mean, do not get me wrong, they are definitely great source for entertainment but do not let that inhibit you from taking the time to see what is really going on in the world around you. Read a book and look up some current news — learn a little about yourself, know what you stand for, and be socially aware. This could be a good start for a new years resolution.
