I recently wrote an article about this atrocious piece of legislation, (S-1867) but at that time, it had not made it through the House of Representatives, and Obama had pledged to veto it upon its arrival to his desk. It is no surprise that the dishonest Obama lied again, but it is telling that both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed this overwhelmingly. These are the same “representatives” that most of the lemmings in this country believe protect their interests, but the opposite of course is the case.
It is difficult to put into words just how absolutely obnoxious this anti-freedom monstrosity is, and it is even more difficult to imagine the future consequences of this heinous law. How on earth can this be allowed to happen? If this stands, we can openly admit that we are now in an executive dictatorship.
When any American can be “legally” apprehended by the military, held indefinitely without the benefit of any due process, be shipped off to hidden prisons or concentration camps, and tortured or worse, what have we become? What have the people become when they sit idly by and let this go forward without complete and total resistance? They have become slaves to the state, and they have become slaves voluntarily!
There are many attempting to refute the fact that the military has the authorization to indefinitely hold American citizens, but it is very clear that under this piece of legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012, the military can do just that. While the bill is filled with many deplorable aspects, mostly ignored I might add, the detention language is clear. Glenn Greenwald of Salon explains the myths concerning the detention portion of this bill in his brilliant article: “Three myths about the detention bill.”
There is not a lot more that one can say about this new law, because it is the finishing nail in the proverbial coffin of totalitarianism. When any American on the say so of the executive branch of government can be “legally” captured by the military and held indefinitely, and without charge or trial, then the state has won.
Who will the government thugs target first? They will target those who are willing to stand up to them. They will target those who expose the corruption and lies that are ever present in the political arena. They will target writers of truth. They will target protesters, and all those who actively dissent. They will target those who expose the state propaganda for what it truly is.
When the truth tellers are rounded up, who will speak for the rest? When those among us who are unafraid, and who do not fear the state gendarmes, are in concentration camps, which of you will step forward to replace them? Which of you will risk everything to protect your liberty? Which of you will fight to be free? When all the guardians of the sheep are gone, then the wolves will have an easy slaughter, and this bill is meant to allow the roundup of all the guardians of liberty.
We are all born with certain natural rights; those rights being the rights to life, liberty, and property. These rights cannot be separated, for to have one is to have all, and to lose one is to lose all. If one has a right to his life, then it stands to reason that he also has the right to defend his life. If he has a right to defend his life, then he has a right to defend his liberty. If he has a right to defend his liberty, then he has the right to defend his property. If the government attacks any of these rights, then we all have the right to defend ourselves from that same government.
I am purposely avoiding here any argument based on so-called constitutional rights. Obviously, indefinite detention without trial invalidates the 5th Amendment, but it is also completely inconsistent with our natural rights. The natural rights mentioned above are inherent; they come from no piece of parchment. For if men can give rights by constitution, then those rights can legally be taken away. That is much of the problem, for when we look to a political document to see what we are allowed to do, then we have already lost our sovereignty.
Until the people in this country understand what their inherent rights are, and where they come from, the continual destruction of our liberty by this government will continue. Our rights, depending on one’s beliefs, either come from God or our own humanity. They predate men. Judge Andrew Napolitano has made this point on many occasions, and it should be considered as absolute. Since our rights are inherent, it is up to us as individuals to protect those precious rights, for if we do not, we will have none nor deserve none!
Copyright © 2011 by LewRockwell.com. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given.