The Patriot Act Uncovered, Welcome to a police state Options

[cypher]

First, let me preface this post by saying that personally I don't think the civil rights afforded to citizens of this great country should be extended to non-citizens. I don't believe that anybody entering this country, legally or otherwise, deserves the same rights as somebody born here until they have proven to be an adequate addition to civilized society. In my opinion, if you come to this country and behave in a manner that is any less than eternally grateful that we took you in, you deserve a lifetime deportation after a year in a maximum security prison.

Having said that, I was mortified to fully comprehend the rights and priveledges taken away from me, a 5th generation US citizen, by the passage of The Patriot Act. I highly suggest that all of you watch the film 'Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties'. It airs at the following dates/times on DirectTV.

08.28 - 09:00AM (Sundance Channel)
08.28 - 10:20PM (Sundance Channel)
08.31 - 05:00AM (Sundance Channel)

After watching this, I don't know who to fear...

Cypher

[Druid]

Under the PA, American citizens can be charged in military tribunals, and not federal courts, which means that the process will be secret, and that many of the rights normally granted them would be taken away. Theoretically, that is very scary. I do not trust this government, or any government for that matter, with that kind of power. Sorry.

This is another great example of misconceptions surrounding the Patriot Act.
The Patriot Act has nothing to do with anyone being charged in a military tribunal.
What has happened is the Patriot Act has became a catch-all for controversial policies from the Bush Administration.
Military tribunals actually come from policies based on the president's war powers in the Constitution and no not apply to U.S. citizens.
Another fact which has become somewhat distorted is Bush didn't create the idea or change anything when it comes to military tribunals or unlawful combatants, the precedent comes from a 60 year old Supreme court case involving Nazi saboteurs.

Or more to the point, Bush signed an Executive Order late 2001 which explicitly prohibits U.S. citizens being tried in a military tribunal.

As much talk as there has been about U.S. citizens being held as unlawful enemy combatants or how the Constitution is under assault. Stories talking about how Bush has declaring the right to lock up anyone, meaning any American, any place, at any time, then hold him indefinitely, well that huge number actually comes down to 3.
Yasar Esam Hamdi who was captured in Afghanistan armed after a firefight with U.S. forces
Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri who was a member of a al-Qaeda sleeper cell, who by the way was under multiple civilian charges when deemed an unlawful enemy combatant.
Jose Padilla who was arrested after his return flight from Pakistan where he meet with members of al-Qaeda who gave him money and bomb making plans. Information about Padilla came from the interrogation of a captured al-Qaeda leader who previously talked to Padilla about him possibly being used to build and set off a dirty bomb.
Of the 3 cases I find Padilla's the most interesting for several reasons.
The groups ( ACLU, some media outlets ) who has taken up his cause refuse to use his real name which is Abdullah al Muhajir. He legally changed it when he converted to Islam.
Why do these groups refuse to use his legal and chosen name?
Or how about the media reports where one newspaper describes him as a "juvenile delinquent" or another one talking about his "prison spell in Florida".
How about calling a convicted murderer, a convicted murderer versus talking about how he converted to Islam during his stay in a Florida prison without bothering to say what he was in prison for. Sorry but I find that very strange.

Feel free to accuse me supporting trampling on these poor guys civil rights, but in all honesty I could care less if they were all shot for treason, which by the way Yasar Esam Hamdi could be seeing as how he was captured while he actively took up arms against the United States and it's soldiers.