COMMENTARY | The United States of America has always been considered the true "land of the free." Its borders have become home to many who have traveled from abroad in order to enjoy the pursuit of happiness and all of the rewards that come with it. From sea to shining sea, America is, and was, the symbol for hope in a world of ever-changing political landscapes. That freedom, so it seems, has taken a giant step backwards and toward the farthest-reaching antithesis, with a Senate vote on December 1.
Despite the recent backlash from the general populous, and from a rightly-concerned president, the United States Senate passed into law a massive, far-reaching defense bill which includes, buried beneath layers of military budgeting and homeland defense spending, language to authorize the indefinite detention of civilians, without the benefits of due process, trial or Constitutional rights, for merely being suspected of terrorist involvement.
According to Donna Cassata of the Associated Press, the bill increases the role of the military in dealing with suspected terrorists and supporters. The language in the bill sets the stage for a potential showdown between congress, the White House and concerned citizens, as it challenges citizens' rights protected under the Constitution.
Supporters of the bill, including its authors, Arizona Senator John McCain and Michigan Senator Carl Levin, believe the bill to be an overdue necessity in protecting the country from potential threats. Others, however, feel strongly about its potential side effects.
Senator and 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul has been a staunch opponent of the bill, citing its suspension of rights as a cause for alarm. In an editorial Paul had published in the New York Times, he noted the language dictating the recourse against those merely suspected of wrongdoing, with little or no evidence to the same. In this belief, he is not alone. Several popular political media figures and knowledgeable, professional analysts are also quick to point out how the bill potentially conjures a likeness to George Orwell's classic novel "1984," and potentially violates the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the military from being used in civilian law enforcement matters.
Conor Friedersdorf, columnist for the Atlantic, adamantly expressed his opposition, stating that the bill sets up all future presidents to imprison anyone, for any reason, for any length of time, using terrorism as an all-encompassing motive. Furthermore, well-renowned activist and national, political talk show host Alex Jones has voiced similar views, making his case for the impending unrest resulting from the bill's passage.
Now passed by both chambers, as the House of Representatives had previously given its blessings on the bill, a final resolution will be held later this week, with the final perusal of the president to follow. If the president vetoes the bill, as expected, Congress can still override his stroke, thrusting the bill into law.
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