National Public Radio this morning reported that two intellectual thugs at the Brookings Institution were set to propose a permanent scheme for incarcerating persons on a long-term basis simply on the suspicion that they might commit an act of terrorism -- as determined by the President. While the Administration would have to go before a judge (secretly), the detention would have to be renewed every six months, and the scheme would only apply to non-U.S. citizens, this would represent a serious erosion of Constitutional rule. For the Constitution says nothing about its protections applying only to citizens! And it does say a great deal about the need for evidence before anyone is imprisoned, and then the person must have a speedy trial.
If we allow such a shocking proposal to become law we are no better than any two-bit authoritarian regime which shirks legal justice and instead operates on the decisions of some strongman. That is, in fact, the essence of this egregious proposal.
A longer discussion of this matter (to be saved for a later date) must examine the motives of those who would wield such power.
History does shows that tyranny almost never descends upon a democracy in one fell swoop. Rather, rights are chipped away at bit by bit, until nothing is left. (The prime example is the Roman Republic, and another is the Weimar Republic in Germany after World War I.)
For an Australian viewpoint on this kind of thing, see the article linked below or click on the title above.
This horrific whittling away of our rights must be rejected out-of-hand and any proposer of such a fascist absurdity must be excoriated in the strongest possible terms.
http://indymedia.us/es/2005/10/11648.shtml
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