Obama Shreds the Constituion
HEAD TO Who’s to blame for the prevalence of rights taking bills and laws that have almost passed congress recently? Both contributors have presented arguments for who is to blame for the National Defense Authorization Act and Antiprotest Trespass Bill, whether it is the fault
America was founded on simple principles that every American knows. Whether you were raised on the streets or in a cave, Americans are raised with their rights ingrained in them—freedom of speech, assembly, press, equality, voting, etc. Yet, it is with Obama, his administration and our Congress that we see those ideals obliterated. Obama has signed two pieces of legislation within this academic year that are extremely problematic for American civil liberties. The National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] in December and the H.R. 347 “Anti-Protest Bill” this March have shown the degree to which the government will go in order to silence its people. Obama’s signing of the NDAA 2012 codifies the military to have the right to detain US citizens indefinitely without charge or trial. He also signed the “Anti-protest Trespass Bill” H.R. 347 (also known as the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act) into law which makes it a crime to protest in areas protected by the secret service, even if you don’t know that the secret service is there. After signing the NDAA in December, Obama released a statement claiming that he objected to most of it. Yet, his actions of signing it anyway clearly promote his view that the military should have the power to exhibit indefinite detention against American citizens without trial, which is a bold violation of our constitution. Anyone can recognize the conflict between this and our sixth amendment right. Now with the “Anti-protest Trespass Bill” this March our freedoms are attacked once again. For the first time in American history it is now a crime to peacefully protest in areas in close proximity to high ranking elected officials who are receiving secret service protection. Engaging in “disruptive or disorderly” conduct will be criminalized, and can be considered a felony—as it is now a federal law. Many say this is an attack against the Occupy Movement, naming it the “anti-Occupy bill.” Over the course of our American History we have seen the Federal Government expand. When the people first called upon the Federal Government to intervene it was to protect us from poverty, injustice, racism etc. Now the Federal Government has taken our trust and used it to restrict our freedom. The Federal Government has expanded too much that even the people cannot be protected. The government understands that the protests that broke out against social inequality in 2011 will re-emerge in more powerful ways in 2012. The strict measures and crashing economy will make living conditions for the working class more impossible as the world continues in the same trajectory. The government denying our right to protest on their ground is their way of protesting against the working class. We have grown up knowing that we have the right to speak our mind and assemble—this is our favorite amendment. It is our first amendment. By acts like these, the government is taking away our right to get their attention. What type of democracy dismisses the voice of its people? More information available at American Civil Liberties Union www.aclu.org or rt.com.
By Hilary scheppers
20 Passion Apr. 2012