I try to start OT threads as rarely as possible, especially if they're political, but this "Military Commissions Act" thing...
I'm a permanent resident of the United States, I'm not a citizen but my wife and son are, and I see what's happening here as an outsider but 'from the inside.' I simply cannot believe the step this administration has just taken here: this goes well beyond some of the most outrageous move we've seen in recent years. The de facto cancellation of the habeas corpus (it is
not simply suspended) in a country which at other times and in other circumstances held so dear and so high the values of liberty and democracy, is already an event of considerable proportion. But what amazes me most, and this is why I'm posting here, is the weakness, not to say the absence, of a reaction on the part of the American people.
I need you, American people, to tell me what's going on here These are genuine, non-rhetorical, not ironic (this is not a funny topic) questions: why are you not protesting this more vigorously? do you just consider this new law will have little to no effect on law-abiding citizens? do you think a change of political majority in the mid-term elections will be enough to stop what's happening here? if you're as concerned as I am, do you plan on doing anything about it?
It is actually this last question that helped me better realize the seriousness of what's just happened here: wouldn't you think twice before protesting a law that has just come into effect and basically allows the authorities to arrest and detain you for as long as they want, without any need to formally charge you with anything else than being an "unlawful enemy combattant," whether you're an american citizen or not. Think it's crazy and wouldn't apply to anyone else than the random guys picked on the battlefield in Afghanistan? Try to remember when Bush said that those who had leaked information about the wiretapping program "were helping the terrorists"? What is now preventing him from saying that they provided moral if not material support to terrorists, how would that be any different from simply labeling them "unlawful enemy combattant" themselves? What would prevent the authorities from arresting and jailing them indefinitely? Legally, nothing.
I tend to think that Keith Olbermann sometimes exaggerates and distorts quite a bit, and sometimes borders on doing some fear-mongering of his own, but I have to say that I'm with him on this one and have to agree with everything in his last comment on the topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqxmPjB0WSsTo balance the view of the professional, trained media person who makes a living out of being a media person, here's a different perspective: please check the opinion of "Reluctant Redneck" on all this. Actually, it's not balancing, it's reinforcing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6qIiz_Q5QcI'm not too sure that I agree with him that this process can now be reversed that easily, simply by putting democrats back in charge and drafting new laws. This is a pretty serious dent in the cornerstone of the political system...
Also, I'm generally very sceptical of fallacious historical comparisons and unsubstantiated labeling, but I believe there's a case to make here that this time, this could well be the beginning of a fascist state. I never thought I'd use that word to describe a current political regime, especially in this country. How sad...
I'm looking forward to your comments here, because the feeling that this will pass quietly as if nothing had happened is really bothering and worrying me.