Thursday, October 19, 2006

The Day Democracy Died


Where were you the day democracy died? Well the field can tell you where he was: At work, just like any other day in a typical middle of the work week. And like millions of other Americans, I must confess, I had no idea it was happening and, I am ashamed of myself for not knowing. As a lawyer, I should have seen it coming and I did not. I was too busy with my own life and selfish pursuits, too busy watching the salacious and sexy stories that news organizations like to shove down our throats. -Lately, it's been all Foley all the time in the news- Sprinkle that in with the usual daily killings in Iraq, the occasional animal who takes out multiple people in a killing spree, the Dow flirting with 12000; and well, you get the picture. All this turned my thoughts away from the most important news story happening before my very eyes: The hijacking of a government and the freedoms it's citizens are supposed to enjoy.

So lets talk about H.R. 6166, or as it is affectionately called, "The Military Commissions Act of 2006." By signing this act on that infamous day, October 17, 2006, frat boy essentially did away with nine out of our ten freedoms clarified in the Bill of Rights, and also abolished habeas corpus. I bet many of the congressmen that voted for this act didn't even read it. Folks, we are now living in very dangerous times, and the marching you hear outside are the brown shirts coming to get you. This act gives our leader and his secretary of defense, the right to set up a tribunal of their choosing, and to review whether you, Joe Citizen, is an "enemy combatant" or not.

Don't believe me? Read Section 948 d. subsection (c) of the Act. When speaking of who declares an "enemy combatant"; it says, a Combatant Status Review Tribunal or the President or Secretary of Defense. Feel better now? Yes my friends, the President , as the Commander in chief, is given authority under title 10, of the U.S. code section 3 (a) to do this. There is a gentleman named Alex Jones, who won the 2004 Project Censored Award for his analysis of the Patriot Act 2. This gentleman, said, that this bill is smilier to Hitler's 1933 Enabling act. And Yale law professor, Bruce Ackerman, wrote a blistering attack of this act for the L.A. Times. So along with taking away your right to know the evidence against you, and locking you up for an indefinite amount of time-remember no habeas corpus-, this act also gives the president the right to use hearsay evidence gotten by torture against you. Yes I said torture. You see under U.S. code title 8 section 2340, torture now has a very broad definition, and lacks the specifics of say the Geneva convention. Now I know torture is a relative thing. Heck, torture to me might be being forced to 24 hours of Toby Keith Cd's, or being locked in a room with Dick Cheyney, and George Allen. But I think we all can agree that pulling someones finger nails out until he passes out from the pain, and reviving him and pulling out the another one is torture. Not under the Bush plan. To them, it's all so subjective, such a gray area with this torture thing.

Now what's really scary about this act, is that it applies to all U.S. citizens. Yes, all of us! Don't listen to the kool aid drinkers and brown shirt brigade people who will try to tell you that; this only applies to foreigners. Yeah right, just like the wire tap laws did. No folks this little act applies to all of us. According to another law professor, Marty Lederman, subsection (ii) of the definition of "unlawful enemy combatant" means if the Pentagon says that you are an unlawful enemy combatant using whatever standard they wish, then according to Congress and this act, you are one. Heck, according to this Act, the legislation's legality cannot be challenged by the Supreme Court or any U.S. Court. In essence , it takes away the powers of the federal courts to consider any petitions for writ of habeas corpus on anyones behalf. Isn't this little Act brilliant? Now King George can detain any damn "enemy combatant" he wants. Anyone. Think about that for a minute: The New York Times reporters; enemy combatants, NBC reporters; enemy combatants, CBS reporters; enemy combatants, Daily Kos posters; enemy combatants; get the picture? The only media outlet that we would be allowed to watch or listen to is FAKE NEWS. I can see Tony Snowjob now: really folks, FAKE NEWS is not that bad, give it a chance.

You gotta be kidding me. But how did it come to this? What the f^&% were we as citizens thinking to let this happen on our watch? No outrage, no outcry, no major media outlet pressing the issue and demanding accountability and answers. Where is Jessie, and Al, and all the usual suspects? Oh that's right, no race or money involved, so I guess they will sit this one out. As if there could be anything more important than our individual freedoms and liberties? And before I forget, I would like to thank Keith Olberman, for having the balls to stand up to frat boy and his Nazi like draconian act. His commentary last night should be in the Smithsonian, and every other journalist in this country should be ashamed of themselves. Not to mention those cowards from the democratic party on capitol hill, who, as election season gets into full gear, are more concerned with getting reelected than standing up for our democracy.

So October 17,2006, like May 11,1981, will be significant dates for all the wrong reasons. The former was when my freedom died, and the later when my music died. Marley's dying was tragic, but his music lives on, and I can still rock to Bob when I want to. My freedom, on the other hand, I will never get back, and I fear the day that our President decides that only "enemy combatants" listen to Marley. After all, his lyrics are so...well... revolutionary..."I shot the sheriff..", or "chase those crazy bald heads out of town" dem are fighting words. The next thing you know, everyone will be listening to this Marley, we embolden the enemy by listening to that stuff. All that advocating of third world causes and imploring people to stand up for their rights. Before you know it, the jihadist will be embracing Rastafarians, and Halle Selassie will take the place of Allah as their spiritual leader. Ok so maybe frat boy wouldn't go that far, but you never know. Think Dixie Chicks here folks. I saw Professor Jonathan Turly on Olberman's show, and Turly, a man I respect, looked scared. You could tell he knew and had thought out some angles to this act that we have not yet considered. So that definitely got my attention if nothing else did, because we are not talking a bunch of partisan yo yos here; we are talking legal scholars who should know this sh*# is foul when they see it. And guess what, they are crying foul!

Finally, let me say this: I know here in America we have a tendency to be so caught up in our own lives and every day bull sh*& and minutia that the real important stuff gets lost in the shuffle. Smart politicians and people who like to take things from you, -the average American- when you aren't looking, know that. And as long as they have their 33% base to go along with them, they will get away with it, because, after all, you ain't watching. Well don't let them get away with it. This time, vote the bums out. It's too late to stop the Act now, frat boy put his mont blanc on that bad boy days ago. But now we must check him, and we must make sure that he never abuses it as long as he is in office. Hopefully, more people like Keith Olberman will step up and let the frat boy know, that we are not only listening to Marley and watching the latest videos from Blockbuster, but we are watching and listening to his ass too.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

From Keith Olbermann’s editorial, “We have handed a blank check drawn against our freedom to a man who has said it is unacceptable to compare anything this country has ever done to anything the terrorists have ever done.

We have handed a blank check drawn against our freedom to a man who has insisted again that “the United States does not torture. It’s against our laws and it’s against our values” and who has said it with a straight face while the pictures from Abu Ghraib Prison and the stories of Waterboarding figuratively fade in and out, around him.

We have handed a blank check drawn against our freedom to a man who may now, if he so decides, declare not merely any non-American citizens “unlawful enemy combatants” and ship them somewhere—anywhere – but may now, if he so decides, declare you an “unlawful enemy combatant” and ship you somewhere - anywhere.”

“…And if you somehow think habeas corpus has not been suspended for American citizens but only for everybody else, ask yourself this: If you are pulled off the street tomorrow, and they call you an alien or an undocumented immigrant or an “unlawful enemy combatant”—exactly how are you going to convince them to give you a court hearing to prove you are not? Do you think this attorney general is going to help you?”

Keith Olbermann is the Bomb, for real though.

Any Senator who deigns to run for President in 2008 needs to explain why they didn't mount the longest filibuster in history to stop this desecration of the constitution.

field negro said...

Thanks Skep; I see you blogging about this too my man, we need as much outcry as possible over this sh&%!Everyone in this country must be asleep or something!

Scary stuff!

wst... said...

thanks for posting this FN. yeah its like everyone in this country is under some kind of spell. its hard to explain

also alberto gonzales has told the judges that they arent to overturn this legislation.
see: Gonzales Cautions Judges on Interfering

also you mentioned alex jones there is a free audio interview of him by jeff rense if anyone would care to listen and get more information about the military commissions act of 2006. the link is here

"this little enron lawyer thug who writes torture memos saying they can torture children in front of their parents this bastard and thats what he is folks this slimy little gangster thug this crook tells every judge in this country you are not to overturn any of this" alex jones to jeff rense

"criminals, pedophiles, blackmailers, blackmail victims, graft, corruption, crooks, con artists, liars, phonies ,cheats, frauds you could go right down the list." - jeff rense to alex jones about who composes the united states congress.

Citizen110 said...

I can't believe people we elected to represent our best interests passed this bill so it could be signed into law! MCA of 2006 is proof that America is not a Constitutional Republic but has become a police state. The conservatives have used the law to supercede existing laws with a perverse disregard for any concept of Constitutional limits. The Attorney General is all too willing to hand un-Constitutional authority to the Executive branch. Add to all this the knowledge that this administration is intent on going after attorneys, jounalists, fifth column movements, peace activists and dissenters in general. The conservatives are doing the same things every despotic, totalitarian regime that existed during the 20th century has done. These are indeed very dangerous times we are living in. But who is going to protect Americans from their own government?

field negro said...

wesawthat; I thought I was the only one who thinks Gonzales is scum. What a weasel! And this guy is overseeing the enforcement of our liberties?

Kind of like the fox guarding the hen house if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

No way are the only person to despise Abu Gonzales.

This is the same asshole who gave the White House THREE DAYS notice to destroy evidence before the Plame-gate investigation.

This is the same asshole who wrote the memo saying the Geneva Convention is "quaint" and outdated.

This is the same asshole who wrote the memo (and then denid it) saying the US can and should torture people.

This is the same asshole who thinks that we get fewer rights during some undeclared war executed illegally by a criminal administration.

I'd like 180 seconds alone with Mr. Gonzales to make my case.

MartiniCocoa said...

wouldn't this act be the time to call for a filibuster?

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