Sign this petition
Stop Defense Authorization Bill from stepping on the Sixth Amendment
By Patrick Smith (Contact)
To be delivered to: The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Barack Obama
Petition Statement
A section in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act conflicts directly with the Sixth Amendment by giving the military the right to indefinitely detain anyone, including United States citizens, without trial and to continue to detain citizens of the United States without having to provide burden of proof to a judge.
False arguments have been made by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) that the "requirement to detain a person in military custody under this section does not extend to citizens of the United States.”
That argument is, in fact, untrue because the section does 'let' the government detain a citizen in military custody, but not force it to do that. So they have the power to do so but they don't have to exercise it. They STILL have the power, under this section, to do so at will.
The other argument states that the person can only be held, without trial, until the end of a stated conflict under the guise of which they were arrested. Given the breadth and depth and unarguably the length of recent 'conflicts' this could be most of a persons productive life.
This section must be stripped from the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act before it is allowed implementation. Another way must be found to protect our country and freedoms without removing the protections that ensure our freedom.
False arguments have been made by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) that the "requirement to detain a person in military custody under this section does not extend to citizens of the United States.”
That argument is, in fact, untrue because the section does 'let' the government detain a citizen in military custody, but not force it to do that. So they have the power to do so but they don't have to exercise it. They STILL have the power, under this section, to do so at will.
The other argument states that the person can only be held, without trial, until the end of a stated conflict under the guise of which they were arrested. Given the breadth and depth and unarguably the length of recent 'conflicts' this could be most of a persons productive life.
This section must be stripped from the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act before it is allowed implementation. Another way must be found to protect our country and freedoms without removing the protections that ensure our freedom.
Petition Background
The 2012 Defense Authorization Act contains a clause allowing the military to detain indefinitely, WITHOUT TRIAL or the burden of having to provide proof to a judge, anyone the government might think is a terrorist. This includes U.S. Citizens. The director of the CIA doesn't even want this kind of power so why should you let your government have it.
Since voting against a Defense funding act is political suicide this little clause, that stomps all over the Sixth Amendments right to a trial, will pass and your civil liberties go with it. You need to put pressure on Congress and the White House to stop this from happening. Signing this petition will also encourage President Obama keep his commitment to veto this Bill.
Wired.com has a great article here: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/12/senate-military-detention
There are currently 38 signatures
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