On this day 33AD:
Today is a day to remember
when they tortured and executed an innocent man.
Put him on trial... what did he do?? Probably no more than Socrates who was charged with "corrupting the youth of Athens." He pissed off a lot of powerful people in high places. However, it was the justice system that was corrupt.
Take responsibility... "Not me," said Pilate, "Not me," said Herod...
Throw him to the crowd... let them decide.
What happened next is the mystery... it's all politics.
Did the crowd yell, "Give us Barabas" to let the criminal free, or were there plants in the crowd shouting for the innocent man's death?? This we'll never know... but we do know is that there was no system of justice in place that we could call just. And with the passage of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, the US situation as regards their prisoners of war more resembles the rigged system of 33AD than what we think of as justice in modern times.
When people say that habeas corpus dates to the Magna Carta... I would say that it dates to this day 33AD... when the justice system caved in from corruption, and the verdict was left to "vox populi"
If Jesus were held in Guantanamo, what would be the liklihood that he would receive a fair trial??
As long as the Military Commissions Act of 2006 is the law, until it is repealed, we are living with Good Friday every day. We have no justice system in place to prevent the sentence of guilt on an innocent man.
Glenn Greenwald:
Military Commissions Act 2006 in Action
November 2006
In December, 2001 he was detained as a "material witness" to suspected acts of terrorism and ultimately charged with various terrorism-related offenses, mostly relating to false statements the FBI claimed he made as part of its 9/11 investigation. Al-Marri vehemently denied the charges, and after lengthy pre-trial proceedings, his trial on those charges was scheduled to begin on July 21, 2003.
But his trial never took place, because in June, 2003 -- one month before the scheduled trial -- President Bush declared him to be an "enemy combatant." As a result, the Justice Department told the court it wanted to turn him over to the U.S. military, and thus asked the court to dismiss the criminal charges against him, and the court did so (the dismissal was "with prejudice," meaning he can't be tried ever again on those charges). Thus, right before his trial, the Bush administration simply removed Al-Marri from the jurisdiction of the judicial system -- based solely on the unilateral order of the President -- and thus prevented him from contesting the charges against him
Thom Hartmann:
Repeal the Military Commissions Act and Restore the Most American Human RightThom Hartman
February 2007
Common Dreams
While there are many countries in the world where all power and all rights are reserved to the government, and then doled out to the people by constitutional, legislative, or executive decree, the first three words of our Constitution clearly state who in this country holds all the power and all the rights: "We the People."
Our Constitution does not grant us rights, because "We" already hold all rights. Instead, it defines the boundaries of our government, and identifies what privileges "We the People" will grant to that government.
When Gonzales suggested we have no habeas corpus rights because the Constitution doesn't grant them, his testimony betrayed a breathtaking ignorance of the history and meaning of the United States Constitution. And, because his thinking probably reflects that of his superior, George W. Bush, Gonzales' testimony demonstrates the urgency with which Congress must act to repeal the many laws, signing statements, and executive orders that have been issued by this administration.
But particularly, and first, with regard to habeas corpus.
Proposed Legislation to Repeal Military Commissions Act 2006
Amnesty International:
Military Commissions Act of 2006 – Turning bad policy into bad law
Senator Dodd's Bill:
S. 576: Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007
SEC. 14. RESTORATION OF HABEAS CORPUS FOR INDIVIDUALS DETAINED BY THE UNITED STATES.
(a) Restoration- Subsection (e) of section 2241 of title 28, United States Code, is repealed.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Subsection (b) of section 7 of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-366; 120 Stat. 2636; 28 U.S.C. 2441 note) is repealed.
Daily Kos Diaries on S. 576