Open Letters to Our Leaders
SB3930 'Terror Legislation' Demeans the ConstitutionSeptember 29, 2006 10:56
Letter sent to representatives to protest the passage of SB 3930.
Having just reviewed the text of Senate bill 3930 that was passed yesterday, I can't believe that our democratically elected officials have passed legislation that so terribly inhibits the power of the judiciary, disregards foreign treaty, and disproportionately empowers the executive branch.
The concept that no judge or judiciary representative may hear a challenge to detention under habeas corpus is outrageous in itself. The fact that the president may now declare non-citizens living in the US and even citizens as enemy combatants in some circumstances is simply terrifying. Someone like myself, who writes letters like this, might now be declared an enemy combatant and be held with no hope of judicial intervention.
The section that says that US law shall conform to the principles of the Geneva Conventions while simultaneously disallowing the use of the Geneva Conventions in any test of US law is a slap in the face of our friends and treaty cosigners.
Finally, we are bowing to the executive branch in war time and will be very sorry about it later. When the president is given unchallengeable authority to intern and interrogate even US citizens, we have lost all grip on the principles established by our Constitution.
Having just reviewed the text of Senate bill 3930 that was passed yesterday, I can't believe that our democratically elected officials have passed legislation that so terribly inhibits the power of the judiciary, disregards foreign treaty, and disproportionately empowers the executive branch.
The concept that no judge or judiciary representative may hear a challenge to detention under habeas corpus is outrageous in itself. The fact that the president may now declare non-citizens living in the US and even citizens as enemy combatants in some circumstances is simply terrifying. Someone like myself, who writes letters like this, might now be declared an enemy combatant and be held with no hope of judicial intervention.
The section that says that US law shall conform to the principles of the Geneva Conventions while simultaneously disallowing the use of the Geneva Conventions in any test of US law is a slap in the face of our friends and treaty cosigners.
Finally, we are bowing to the executive branch in war time and will be very sorry about it later. When the president is given unchallengeable authority to intern and interrogate even US citizens, we have lost all grip on the principles established by our Constitution.
U.S. Senator John McCainSeptember 20, 2006 11:38
Letter sent to Senator McCain in support of his opposition to the Bush administrations proposed rewrite of the Geneva Conventions.
Dear Senator McCain,
I applaud your recent decision to oppose the Bush administration and stand up for the US Constitution.
How can a US president actually be suggesting the following:
* Foreign prisoners in US custody have fewer rights than US citizens in US custody
* US detention centers in Foreign countries don't need to obey the US constitution
* Prisoners should not be able to see the evidence against them
* The definition of torture and inhumane treatment needs to be specified in a manner such that treatment outside the definition is automatically acceptible
* The US Courts should not interfere when human rights are being violated
* It's ok to invade the phone calls and privacy of US citizens without a court order and in violation of US law
If president Bush doesn't like US law... why doesn't he move to Iran or North Korea where they obviously practice laws and morals that are more in line with his own philosophy?
Thank you again for standing up for what is right.
Dear Senator McCain,
I applaud your recent decision to oppose the Bush administration and stand up for the US Constitution.
How can a US president actually be suggesting the following:
* Foreign prisoners in US custody have fewer rights than US citizens in US custody
* US detention centers in Foreign countries don't need to obey the US constitution
* Prisoners should not be able to see the evidence against them
* The definition of torture and inhumane treatment needs to be specified in a manner such that treatment outside the definition is automatically acceptible
* The US Courts should not interfere when human rights are being violated
* It's ok to invade the phone calls and privacy of US citizens without a court order and in violation of US law
If president Bush doesn't like US law... why doesn't he move to Iran or North Korea where they obviously practice laws and morals that are more in line with his own philosophy?
Thank you again for standing up for what is right.
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