The Death of [an] America[n]
On September 30th, 2011, an American, accused of an awful crime, was executed without trial.
To put this in perspective, Nazi war criminals received a trial. American terrorist Timothy McVeigh, who killed 168 people, received a trial. Jared Loughner, who publicly shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and shot several other people to death, is awaiting trial.
Murderers, even murderers who murder in public, get a trial.
Why? Why don't we just execute murderers on the spot?
Because executing someone without evidence, merely on the word of authority, or by accusation, is dangerous. And very stupid.
Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen, was put on a kill list a year ago. His father filed a lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union to get him off the list. The suit was dismissed on a technicality.
Awlaki had been posting inflammatory and anti-American videos on youtube. The videos urged violence against the United States. But this speech is protected under the first amendment. Why would we have such a stupid amendment in our Constitution? Because the founders of this country promoted violence against their government before they founded the United States.
There is no evidence that Awlaki participated in a violent crime. He was not a member of Al Qaeda. And his speech was protected by the first amendment. Because he might be acquitted if he had a trial, the President of the United States decided to have him killed without one.
How is the federal government better than the witch hunters of Salem? How are they better than the lynch mobs of the postbellum South? How are they better than the gulags of Russia?
This is not justice. This is not even vengeance. This is murder.
But it seems most Americans cheer while their liberty dies.
First, the federal government locked up people without trial and tortured them—but we didn't worry, because they weren't Americans—they were Muslims, and they were terrorists. Now we cheer, and don't worry, because even though an American was murdered in violation of every Constitutional protection, he was a Muslim, and a terrorist, and he had a Muslim name.
The door has been opened. The precedence set.
You argue that we are at war. During war, the rules are different. Yes, we are at war, we have always been at war with Eurasia. But don't worry, Big Brother will keep you safe.
To put this in perspective, Nazi war criminals received a trial. American terrorist Timothy McVeigh, who killed 168 people, received a trial. Jared Loughner, who publicly shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and shot several other people to death, is awaiting trial.
Murderers, even murderers who murder in public, get a trial.
Why? Why don't we just execute murderers on the spot?
Because executing someone without evidence, merely on the word of authority, or by accusation, is dangerous. And very stupid.
Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen, was put on a kill list a year ago. His father filed a lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union to get him off the list. The suit was dismissed on a technicality.
Awlaki had been posting inflammatory and anti-American videos on youtube. The videos urged violence against the United States. But this speech is protected under the first amendment. Why would we have such a stupid amendment in our Constitution? Because the founders of this country promoted violence against their government before they founded the United States.
There is no evidence that Awlaki participated in a violent crime. He was not a member of Al Qaeda. And his speech was protected by the first amendment. Because he might be acquitted if he had a trial, the President of the United States decided to have him killed without one.
How is the federal government better than the witch hunters of Salem? How are they better than the lynch mobs of the postbellum South? How are they better than the gulags of Russia?
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| Try posting on youtube now! |
But it seems most Americans cheer while their liberty dies.
First, the federal government locked up people without trial and tortured them—but we didn't worry, because they weren't Americans—they were Muslims, and they were terrorists. Now we cheer, and don't worry, because even though an American was murdered in violation of every Constitutional protection, he was a Muslim, and a terrorist, and he had a Muslim name.
The door has been opened. The precedence set.
You argue that we are at war. During war, the rules are different. Yes, we are at war, we have always been at war with Eurasia. But don't worry, Big Brother will keep you safe.
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