Are we a nation of laws?

For the last few years, our courts have been engaged in a titanic struggle with the president and with Congress to decide whether we are allowed to imprison people forever, without charges or trial or evidence.

It makes me heartsick that we even have a struggle over this. Our country prides itself on the fact that we aren’t run by a king or a dictator who can put us in prison on a whim, and keep us there while our bodies fall apart and our families grieve. But our leaders claim that the world is so scary now that they have to be able to lock people up forever — without saying why.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said the president couldn’t have a “blank check” for doing whatever he wanted. Well, last week the president’s lawyers were back in court arguing that indeed he can.

They call it “preventative detention for the duration of hostilities.” Translated: Lock you up until we decide there is no more terrorism in the world.

This is not the country I love.

posted by Sra. Bibliotecaria ⋅ tagged america, civil liberties, law, war

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