Dec 22, 2009

The Supreme Court Has Spoken: You Have No Rights

by Liberty and Power

Do you believe that the government of the United States considers itself obliged by law to respect anyone’s rights? You are wrong. Read Chris Floyd’s article on a recent Supreme Court decision to let a lower court’s ruling stand, and weep your bitterest tears. If you count yourself among those who believe that this country stands for something better than the historical norm of tyranny and savagery, consider yourself as having made a grievous mistake.

In truth, any “constitutionally protected rights” you are now exercising exist solely at the pleasure and convenience of the rulers. The minute the continuation of your life or liberty no longer pleases them, they will, as the Court’s decision makes clear, simply declare you an unperson to be dealt with as they choose, whether they choose to torture you, confine you in a steel cage for the rest of your life, or peremptorily kill you. They recognize NO rights in anyone (except themselves, of course) that they are bound to respect.

This horror is the end to which a brave experiment has come. If the rulers can, at their pleasure, declare ANYONE THEY SELECT a legal unperson, the notion that the United States is a free country is nothing but the sickest of sick jokes.

Don’t tell me I’m hysterical because most people don’t have their doors kicked in and suffer having themselves or their relatives dragged off into legal oblivion. The USSR and Maoist China did not drag away most people, either. The government, for its own support, needs most people to continue producing goods and services. The point is the principle on which the government will act, and that principle is now plainly that the rulers will act however they wish. Those who resist may simply be “disappeared.”

Congratulations, fellow Americans. Your beloved country has now become Argentina at its worst.

More Comments:

Leslie Fish - 12/23/2009

Actually, this isn't the first time that piously proper American law has declared classes of people to be legal "unpersons", devoid of rights. Before this, Black people (unless properly licensed as freedmen), Indians, and even women have been legal "unpersons". It's been a long and laborious business getting them and their rights recognized. This will be just one more case of the same old, same old.

Actually, thanks to the fast and widespread communications of today, I expect that this cause will be taken up quickly, and noisily. Obama's popularity rating will drop still further, and faster. The Supreme Court will lose respect among the citizens, if not in the legal business. Libertarians, decentralists and the reduce-govt. crowd will grow in numbers and power. The next election will throw Democrats out of power in Congress, and their seats will be taken by independents, Libertarians, Greens, and other mavericks. The Republicans will try to co-opt the growing decentralist movement, and will be rebuffed.

This decision will ultimately be the destruction of the two-party system.

Gary - 12/23/2009

The detainees at Gitmo NEVER had any rights under the US Constitution because they were captured on a FOREIGN battlefield and were held OUTSIDE the jurisdiction of US CIVILIAN courts.

All that will change when they are brought to NYC and are allowed a world stage to chant how bad the US is in the upcoming show trials.

In a perverse way, I kind of hope they are acquitted. Not because I believe what they did was right but because I believe Obama and his minions are an even bigger danger to this country than radial ISLAMIC terrorists.