I’m beginning to become very frightened of our government, and very angry at the same time. Reports abound of people being held by our government without trial, without legal representation, without even being charged. They’re just being “detained”. All in the name of “national security”.
Typically, these people are not American citizens. Sometimes they’re in this country illegally, although not all of the time. Sometimes, they’re caught abroad. Regardless, these people have essentially no criminal rights. None. Of course, they’re not American citizens, right? So they’re not entitled to the rights guaranteed by the 5th, 6th, or 8th amendments? True, they’re not. However, hasn’t it always been America’s intention to spread democratic rule to the rest of the world, to promote the same freedoms and values given to us by the constitution? So why, then, would we not offer these same basic rights to foreign citizens? I just don’t understand it.
If you think I’m just being paranoid, if you think these non-American citizens don’t deserve our rights, then that’s your choice. However, how do you feel about the two (and maybe more) American citizens being held without these rights?
The January 10th episode of This American Life. Listen to it.
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