Monday, October 23, 2006

Keith Olbermann Special Commentary on Threat to Constitutional Rights

See Keith Olbermann's Commentary on the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and the death of Habeas Corpus. (For More Information). Another great presentation by Olbermann.

Although I don't agree with Olbermann 100% on this issue, his general point here is a valid one.

For me it's about the creeping threat to rights.... It's been a slow process, with one thing leading to another. For me it's a question of What Next? If they can do this now, what will they try to do tomorrow....etc? If you look back at history... rights are seldom taken away all at once... It's often one law changed here or there until eventually civil rights are taken away.

I'm a little more restrained than the Olbermann crowd on this issue, since the legal move does not apply to American citizens.... however, the more skeptical and cautious side of me says that if the government was this bold in taking away such rights, even from non-citizens, then my rights as a citizen could also be at risk.

Habeas Corpus is a legal concept of Ancient European governance that is older than the U.S. Constitution and the nation itself. It's almost like the Magna Carta in terms of its roots and fundamental importance to our society.

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