You're one step closer to GITMO

by Blake Silvers

H.B. 4310: The 2013 NDAA Passes easily stripping right to trial

The final roll call for the 2013 version of the National "Defense" Authorization Act shows that few legislators understand or care about even the most basic of American liberties.  This bill not only includes the ability of the for the United States Government to indefinitely detain American citizens, but also allows it to do so without trial, thanks to the handiwork of Senator John McCain (R-AZ). 

The bill (which can be read in full here) which is renewed yearly in order to distribute Department of Defense expenditures has, for the last few years, been used to begin to strip the American people of our most basic rights.  

Patriots like Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) spent days arguing against such language in the current bill, and even successfully passed an amendment within the bill that, for a brief time, seemed to have relieved the bill of such abilities:

"..an authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States unless an act of Congress expressly authorizes such detention."

The problem remains, however, after amendment 3018 was stripped from the newest draft of the 2013 NDAA by a House-Senate Conference Committee led by - you guessed it - John McCain, who quite ironically is likely the only member of congress to ever be indefinitely detained.

So in a pathetic vote of 315-107, your right to trial went out the window, nullifying another section of the Bill of Rights.  "But I'm not a terrorist" you say.  Well, isn't that term subjective and relative to opinion?  With recent developments in attacks on another section of the Bill of Rights - the right to bear arms - what if everyone who owns an AR-15 is considered a "terrorist?"

Remember when conservatives and liberals alike hailed the "Patriot" Act as our grand new safety net from terrorists?  But that was for them, not us, right?  As a 20 year old, without yet having a college education, I remember thinking how dangerous this Act was once the definitions changed.  Well, that tide has been shifting on us since it's original passage and now we're all about to drown in our own selfishness.

No worries.  I hear Cuba is nice this time of year.


"Live Free or Die."