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U.S. | Police State and PrisonsCivil Rights Fed Suit Full Text
News summation: (Jose Padilla / Enemy Combatant Civil Rights Complaint
Against the Executive Branch Filed With FBI Civil Rights Enforcement Division In San Francisco.) Activity: In accordance with Department of Justice procedures for filing a civil rights complain on behalf of someone who's civil liberties have been violated http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/legalinfo/howtofile_CRT.htm I filed the following civil rights complaint with the FBI in San Francisco on Friday October 7th 2005 as a civil rights complaint. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/crim/overview.htm Grounds: This civil rights complaint addresses several unique civil rights angels of the Jose Padilla and enemy combatant detentions, as well as broader governmental constitutional authorities and criminal liabilities of Government conduct. While many previous discussions have centered on the detention aspect of Jose Padilla's incommunicado detention, this complaint focuses largely on the incommunicado aspect of it and his 1st Amendment privileges, and the necessity of preserving free speech rights of unacused American citizens as well as other enemy combatant designees. Purpose: 1) Political. The use of torture authorized by political office holders and appointees, coercive interrogations, political grandstanding by law enforcement personnel, including Department of Justice officials, Senate advice and Consent on judicial nominees related to enemy combatant cases, all political fall out from the discussion of human rights and our policies on torture can not be debated while the victims are incommunicado indefinitely. To act now on appointments, nominations, and elections, we need to know now, and that means we need to hear from these "enemy combatants" now. Chertokoff (Homeland Security,) Gonzales (Attorney General, DOJ,) Jay Bybee (9th Circuit Court of Appeals,) Roberts (Chief Justice, USA,) are all torture memo/detainee related people, and all ascending to greater power while we still don't have the full story. 2) Democratic. To be publicly accused in the media by grandstanding politicians, often engaging in fear mongering or politicizing the war on terror, the "evil doers" should be able to respond as accused, in the press, in the courts, etc., but the administration wants to keep it one sided. 3) Legal. Jose Padilla has rights as a US Citizen that existed prior to the Supreme Court Hamdi decision, and the Hamdi decision re-affirmed the requirement of due process, habeas corpus before a neutral decision maker, status as either a POW or criminal, and if a POW, non-penal detention. The administration continues to defy existing US law and the Supreme Courts re-affirmation of it, and is seeking through judicial activism of friendly lower courts to overturn the Supreme Court's majority decision. Through Judicial activism, the judicial lawmaking the claim to so vehemently appose, they seek to qualify Habeas Corpus to apply only to those the President deems worthy (an argument the Supreme Court in Hamdi rejected, noting is was for protection from the Executive branch Habeas existed,) and make the entire Bill of Rights optional. Further, the administration argues that foreign "enemy combatants" with no US Citizenship enjoy no Bill of Rights or legal protections. This civil rights filing introduces another perspective on that. As human beings, they can be victims of crimes including kidnapping, torture, war crimes, and more. The President is not above the law, and if these people have been subjected to any criminal treatment, they become protected as material witnesses. To isolate them by force, to deprive them of access to tribunal of records, lawyers, and the press, the Bush administration may be involved in obstruction of justice. Hiding away information related to any criminal activity, such as say information related to Iran Contra when it was discovered, would be obstruction of justice. People, foreigners or not, as witnesses and victims of crimes, can not be held incommunicado by the very people who may have committed such crimes. While campaigning upon the War on Terror, the skeletons can not be hidden. In Latin Habeas Corpus means "show me the body" yet hiding the skeletons is precisely what the administration is doing to protect the image of its actions, and possibly conceal criminal activity. 4) Democratic. Most constitutional rights are based upon the citizen, and are citizen dependant. Freedom of the press, freedom of speech, prior restraint, these may be unique in some regards. Particularly in the case of speech, the source of the speech is most likely irrelevant, citizen or not. Philosophically, this makes sense. To contest and debate the US Government' s positions, it may well be necessary to hear from foreign sources of information and foreign government's and their perspectives. As is relevant in the case of detainees, to debate the government's actions, it may be necessary to hear from those effected by the government, including foreign citizens. To interfere through prior restratint the sources of reporting, freedom of the press may be abridged. There may be lateral precedent for this. Free speech has been ruled applicable to entities..corporatioins, etc., Corporations do not have citizenship, yet are still entitled to free speech. Foreign presses, presses printed abroad but distributed in the US, foreign citizens in the US engaging in journalism, all may well be under the umbrella of free speech/freedom of the press because such rights relate more to the Government's lack of justification for suppressing debate. Other key legal grounds: The Bush administration has argued that it was the Judicial Activism of the 1940's in a case called Ex Parte Quirin that placed limits upon Habeas Corpus, the separations of powers, and due process of law in time of war. New in this filing, I raise the issue of the War Powers Act, not yet argued within the Hamdi/Padilla related cases, which anticipate and defeats attempts at Presidential power grabs as Commander in Chief in times of war, and re-affirms the binding nature of the laws of Congress and existing Constitutional authorities. About myself: I have no connection to Jose Padilla, yet that appears to be no basis for disqualifying my complaint on his behalf. I really rather wouldn't have done this, and would especially like to avoid publicity. Nevertheless, lower key efforts to have a positive and democratic impact on this development in our democracy seem unlikely to register without seeking to get the Department of Justice on record regarding legal interpretations to this locus point of our democracy so that it can be held accountable for its positions publicly, should the conflicts of interests between the political appointees of the Department of Justice and its charter mission professional staff in fact exist, or the potential cover-up and conflict of interests I speculatively assert may exist in fact be born out. Ed Donegan San Franscio, CA Helpful news articles From Georgtown law professor David Cole, widely regarded to be a modern day Clarence Darrow in preserving democratic processes in the war against terrorism. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051024/cole http://www.thenation.com/doc/20040719/cole Another article .. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/19/AR2005071901023.html And my own "holding bin" of documents, some of which were drawn from for this complaint, and others which go beyond it in related discussions. http://tribes.tribe.net/sfcathoderaymission Complaint From: Ed Donegan (media: preferred omitted in coverage if released) XX XXXXXX (media:please omit in coverage if released) San Francisco, CA XXXX (media:please omit in coverage if released) XXX-XXX-XXXX (media:please omit in coverage if released) to: FBI Civil Rights Investigations 1) Overview: a. Purpose: This civil rights complaint nominally regards the case of Jose Padilla, filed on his behalf as described by Department of Justice civil rights complaint procedures. In doing so, it more purposely raises the significant civil rights, democratic, conflict of interest, and ethics issues that collaterally adjoin his case, but because they are not direct consequence to the outcome of his case, are not being fully litigated in his case and thus are in need of broader review. b. Architecture of Complaint: An initially dismissive, and I propose and support, erroneous prejudice against exploring this complaint already likely exists. Because the Jose Padilla case continues to be litigated in federal court and a ruling currently stands in the Government' favor, initial restraint would suggest awaiting the outcome of any further judicial review before considering internally the case further. I suggest instead that the collateral criminal, civil, ethical, and democratic issues require vital action in real time, and in some cases matters of even greater importance than this precedent are already too late to act upon. I have therefore iteratively structured the complaint to be nearly immediately available in its full statement and suggestions of consequence of its implications. Following the initial summary iteration, each issue is presented again in greater depth in additional iterations so that if your attention is retained and you are willing to consider the complaint further, additional detail and support for positions is provided. Ideally at the end of the complaint you will accept and have a basis for an independent starting point of considering and investigating those very points. 2) Initial Iteration of Complaint. a. There are extraordinary circumstances associated with the detention of Jose Padilla, and other enemy combatants in general. I suggest both the Government's original arguments regarding the Authorization For Use of Military Force are flawed in manner not yet presented in court, and the 4thCircuit Court's current opinion can be bettered by a close DOJ review of it. b. As important a case as Padilla is as a precedent, of even more vital, and more current, concern are the related criminal civil, democratic, and constitutional issue arising from the disposition of his case and the machinery that is carrying it out. i. Significant legal and political exposures that are impossible to explore based on the circumstances of Padila's (and enemy combatant's) detentions. 1. The political call to engage in acts of torture, the definitions of torture, and actual carrying out of torture and coercive interrogation in practice. The war on terror is highly politicized, and political appointees to the Department of Justice (Gonzales,) and the Judiciary for lifetime appointments (Bybee, co-author of the Torture Memo, revealed after his lifetime appointment to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals by the Senate, Roberts, confirmed to the Chief Justice of the United States of the Supreme Court, who had ruled on enemy combatants,) and the re-election of George Bush himself in 2004 following his authorization for use of torture on various targets in various degrees, which has not been available for public discussion because of the prior restraint suppression of first amendment rights of uncharged US citizens in this regard. This highly charged and vital issue of US policy can not be effectively be debated because of the suppression of free speech rights of the government of those who could speak out against the governments policies. Unable to gain traction on potential civil liberties and humanitarian issues related to such matters, the Senate has been forced to rubber stamp nominations because the evidence needed to contest the nominations has been suppressed by the policies of those very people nominated for higher office. At minimum, it is an ethics violation, and may represent unconstitutional restrictions upon the Senates ability to provide advice and consent on such nominations. Certainly, the public is being deprived the opportunity to fairly judge the policy of political office holders as they ascend to higher appointments. 2. Conflicts-treatment of detainees. In addition to the political consequences of choosing to engage in torture, there are or at least should be legal ramifications. As for torture itself, I believe in most matters of law where such acts are aggravating circumstances or crimes in and of themselves, it is JURIES which decide whether the standards of torture have been met, not the President's staff. Also, though seeking through judicial activism to remove the requirements of Habeas Corpus, arguing it never existed in the first place, the administration makes claims that are no more logically sustainable than legally. The Violating the first amendment rights may be crimninal, and this entire act could be criminal as kidnapping. The reason I submits this to the criminal civil rights investigations group is that unless it suddenly becomes legal to do these things, a case exists for high crimes and misdemeanors, conspiracy against the constitution, and criminal acts carried out within the Executive branch. 3. Conflicts regarding statements to the court regarding detainee treatment. The Executive branch may well have committed perjury before the court on the issue of whether they would engage in torture. Perhaps those in oral arguments were not aware of the secret policies, but after the issue arose, a very material issue, it should have been corrected on the record by statements under oath. The President hiding from that because it might have cost him in the polls or subjected him to criminal complaint is no justification for perjury. Quite the opposite, it is motive for it. 4. Conflicts-obstruction of justice, withholding evidence. If there is any knowledge or belief within the administration acts that could be construed as criminal or civil rights violations are occurring and to suppress the emergence of evidence "detainees" are being withheld from tribunals of record and are being silenced, the implications for democracy and government far far exceed either Iran Contra or Watergate. 5. Questions About The Role Of The Department of Justice a. Mission statement-uphold the Constitution preferred over individual convictions or "detainments." b. Upholding democracy. State Dept internal analog. c. If the Department of Justice has relinquished this area of law enforcement to the military, why is the DOJ through its Solicitor General being used to "front" for the military and its legal staff. Doesn't this just give the military a softer "front" in public? Does the DOJ not have a primary role of upholding civilian law, civilian supremacy and interests, and the Constitution including separation of powers? 3) Second Iteration of Complaint. 1) Whitehouse position inconsistent with the War Powers Resolution. The two together are legally definitive and binding. AUMF+WPR. AUMF: AUMF (under War Powers Resolution) + WPR. AUMF "SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This joint resolution may be cited as the `Authorization for Use of Military Force'. SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. (a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons. (b) War Powers Resolution Requirements- (1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution. (2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. END" WPR That is vital to the question of the expansive powers the Commander in Chief claims. Section 8(A)d(1) of the War Powers Resolution, describing the bounds the Commander In Chief must operate as entitled, states "(d) Nothing in this joint resolution-- (1) is intended to alter the constitutional authority of the Congress or of the President, or the provision of existing treaties;" In other words, the WPR confines the President, as Commander In Chief, to compliance with existing Constitutional authority, laws, and treaties. Such would seemingly include Habeas Corpus, the Enemy Detention Act, Posse Comitatus, all aspects of criminal and constitutional law, the UCMJ which Congress passed to regulate the Military and bans indefinite detentions, the UN Human Rights treaties banning detentions without court proceedings, and a myriad of other protections of citizens. Nevertheless, the President maintains all this has been superceded by the "power grant" of the language "necessary and appropriate." SUMMARY: Clear and explicit plain language law (net yet argued in court) in clear contrast to Administration, OSG, and AG positions. 2) Did Ashcroft lie in the Great Hall of Justice, campaigning in a politicized war against terror, that Padilla was working on a dirty bomb? The DOJ now admits he was not, but did the DOJ knowingly release false information against a US citizen held incommunicado, unable to respond, for political purposes? Freedom of speech issues. The administration is now publicly backing off earlier statements to the press and the courts regarding Jose Padilla. Did they know all along he was not up to what they originally accused him of, but keep up to court and public complaints anyway? 3) The return of common law slavery enacted and enforced by Presidential military order and backed by the Department of Justice. Declared of a class of "combatant" too dangerous for freedom, yet said to be of great value to the government in shackles and indefinite coerced servitude to their ideological and spiritual enemies, the President says they are really valuable to the US to capture (anywhere in the US,) and simply keep. Combined with the already existing racial profiling templates to determine who these are to be, the only answer is to immediately de-certify the Department of Justice, remove its blight from US history, and begin disbarment, impeachment and kidnapping proceedings against those responsible. The Supreme Court has already stated in Hamdi combatants have a right to contest their detainee status before a neutral decision maker, yet the President defies. 4) Third Iteration. 1)Constitutional Principles, articles, laws, cases, and precedents at issue in this case. 1) Civilian Supremacy: Perhaps nothing goes more to the central issue. Written into the Constitution in a number of ways and places, enacted under numerous Congressional laws, supported by long consistent historical precedent, based on explicit preferences by the Founding Fathers for civilian government and authority, civilian supremacy is the deference to civilian justice and law, whenever possible, even in times of war. One related example of Civilian Supremacy from the Founding Fathers was placing the armed forces under the command of the President. While the Military sometimes like to think the Commander In Cheifs role equal to his presidential role, the intent was very clear. The President is a civilian democraticaly elected office holder under which the Military is placed. 2) Posse Comitatus: The Posse Comitatus Act (1878) - Prohibits search, seizure, or arrest powers to US military personnel. IT has been the basis for not using the military, intended for war against foreign nations, against the US Civilian population for law enforcement. 3) The Exclusionary Rule. From 1921, this legal foundation established illegally obtained evidence can not be introduced in trial. "The exclusionary rule prevents the police, in their zealousness to solve crimes, from violating the civil liberties of American citizens. Warrants can only be issued by judges if there is "probably cause" to believe that evidence of wrongdoing will be found. Warrants must contain the date, location, and time of a search, what is expected to be found, and the grounds for believing that such an object will be found in the place indicated. Many feel that these institutional safeguards are what distinguishes America from less civilized nations. They maintain that our civil liberties must be protected above all else." http://library.thinkquest.org/2760/exclude.htm There are several relevant issues. Military Tribunals, if citizens are to be tried by such a low standard, would allow illegally gathered evidence. This would mean the Government could do all the illegal survellience of US Citizens, religious, and political organizations it wanted, and introduce the results in court. Further, because it would be doing so in secret, no one would be the wiser. Finaly, beaten confessions can be introduced, and the very essence of torturing people into confessions is that you are forcing them to say whatever the government wants them to say. 4) Quirin: Described by some as a legal anomaly, a 1942 Supreme Court case relied upon for some elements of the current case by the Supreme Court, Quirin has foundations in the extent of Government authority in time of war. Interpretations and applicability of Quirin gets difficult to read in some places because two issues arise. One, is a military trial (conducted inside the Executive branch, and subject to military rules) an acceptable alternative to a civilian trial in time of war for caclulating due proccess of a US citizen? Two, for purposes of Habeas Corpus, does appearing in a military court count as a court appearence? The Supreme Court ruled doe purposes of deciding charges in Hamdi since citienship need not be considered in Quirin, it need not be considered in Hamdi. Interestingly, and differently, Luttig found that for purposes of Habeas, appearing in a military trial was indistingusable from not appearing in court at all, thus the precedent of the President not having to honor Habeas stood. In so ruling, he may have actually done untoward things to the Presidents pooch. That ruling does not say much for Due Proccess if even the Habeas bar wasn't met by military tribunal. In WWII, one several spies who may have been US Citizens, and probably were, were charged, tried, and sentenced by military tribunal under military law. In defference to Bush, hoping he would concede, the Supreme Court ruled if the court could ignore citizenship in the case of cirminals, whre it did not matter, the Bush administration could also ignore citizenship with enemy combatants (thus ignoring treason issues) and grant legitimate POW status to detainees, if it wished. 5) Geneva Conventions: (1949) Signator states recognition of right to humain treatment of captured lawfull combatants. The core principle-lawfull combatants have done nothing wrong, are lawfull individuals in the disciplined service and under the command of their government. Upon the cessation of hostilities, they may be freed and returned to their lawfull lives. Criminal defense or representation is not an issue for POWs, since to be granted POW status means there is no presumption of wrongdoing or criminal conspiracy. 6) UCMJ: The Consitution gives operation of the Military to the Commander in Chief, but the regulation of the military to Congress as is outlined by the Consitution. This too is part of Civilian Supremacy and the Seperation of Powers. Congress (civilianly elected,) regulates, the President, civilianly elected, operates. Congress did a major overhaul of military law in 1950 known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Detention without charge is prohitted under the UCMJ. The President contends Congress'es regulation of the Military is no longer binding on him. 7) Repeal of the Emergency Detention Act (1971) After World War II, Congress had authorized the use of detention camps in "internal security emergencies" in the Emergency Detention Act of 1950 That Act authorized detention if "there is reasonable ground to believe that such person probably will engage in, or probably will conspire with others to engage in, acts of espionage or of sabotage." In other words, the Act authorized exactly the sort of detention the plan envisions - detention without charge of alleged spies and saboteurs during a time of emergency. By 1971 Congress was so fed up with the idea, not only did it repeal its own act, it really repealed it hard, enacting into law that not only could it not be done, it would now be illegal to even try without Congressional authorization. After 9/11 many roundups began, we are not sure how many were citizens because the DOJ will not disclose who was rounded up, but of the estimated 3,000, it turns out at least some were US Citizens. In an attempt to further repeal th EDA, Congress recently took this bill for consideration. " 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1076 To authorize the President to detain an enemy combatant who is a United States person or resident who is a member of al Qaeda or knowingly cooperated with members of al Qaeda, to guarantee timely access to judicial review to challenge the basis for a detention, to permit the detainee access to counsel, and for other purposes. " In other words, Congress is re-affirming, without any ambiguity, it wants the Courts involved. These two branches want in. 8) War Powers Resolution: (1973) Reafirms Article 1 of the Constitution and adds "definition" on Congressional powers to declare war, and Presidential requirements in conducting them, including reporting requirements on introductions of forces into hostilities, and limmits Presidential authority to do so beyond limmited lengths of time without Congressional approval. Stemmed from the introdcution ot the US into the Vietnam war without congressional authorization. Anticipating and preventing Executive power grabs in time of war, the resolution explicitly stated granting authority to the Commander in Chief did not authorize additional powers to the President. Section 8 d) Nothing in this joint resolution--(1) is intended to alter the constitutional authority of the Congress or of the President, or the provision of existing treaties. The relevance today is that the President is arguing the Authorization for Use of Military Force enacted under the War Powers Resolution frees him any obligations to Congressional law (or the courts) or international treaty, since such things would unconstitutionally intrude upon his authority as Commander in Chief to conduct war. 9) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, [per National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer's Amicus] Congressionally ratified international treaty under the United Nations, (1976.) Article 9, Section 4: Anyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall be entitled to take proceedings before a court, in order that court may decide without delay on the lawfulness of his detention and order his release if the detention is not lawful" 10) The Authorization for Use of Military Force, September 13th, 2001. The three words that the Bush administration suggests changed the world. The full text of the operative section is below. "SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This joint resolution may be cited as the `Authorization for Use of Military Force'. SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. (a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons. (b) War Powers Resolution Requirements- (1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution. (2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. END" All of the Presidents basic assertions relate to section 2 (a) that he is authorized as Commander in Chief to use all "necessary and appropriate" force to wage war. He suggested that such language was Congress's authorization to suspend all Constitutional and international requirements of law, including the relevant acts of Congress related to Civilian Supremacy. Any attempts at limits of his authority as Commander In Chief as thus authorized by Congress interferes with his ability to wage war effectively. The Supreme Court has been highly deferential to the concept of not interfering with the President in time of war. Perhaps as much of interest Section 2(a) are the only other sections,Sections 2(b)(1) and 2(b)(2), though this has not yet been argued. Section 2(b)(1) states that this is an entirely ordinary authorization of force under the War Powers Resolution, and as is consistent with that section and meaning of the War Powers resolution calling for an authorization of force. And Section 2(c,) in keeping with this AUMF being a subordinate instrument of the War Powers Resolution, states that all requirements of the WPR remain in effect and are not superceded. That is vital to the question of the expansive powers the Commander in Chief claims. Section 8(A)d(1) of the War Powers Resolution, describing the bounds the Commander In Chief must operate as entitled, states "(d) Nothing in this joint resolution-- (1) is intended to alter the constitutional authority of the Congress or of the President, or the provision of existing treaties;" In other words, the WPR confines the President, as Commander In Chief, to compliance with existing Constitutional authority, laws, and treaties. Such would seemingly include Habeas Corpus, the Enemy Detention Act, Posse Comitatus, all aspects of criminal and constitutional law, the UCMJ which Congress passed to regulate the Military and bans indefinite detentions, the UN Human Rights treaties banning detentions without court proceedings, and a myriad of other protections of citizens. Nevertheless, the President maintains all this has been superceded by the "power grant" of the language "necessary and appropriate." MISSING: The Commander in Chief's military supremacy mandate. In the AUMF:::granted in the Authorizatin for Use oF Armed Forces .."the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons .." Interesting, not the Commander in Chief, the President, the Civilian official who also has UNDER him the Armed Forces...but a civilian selected civilian office holder (just as the Framers wanted it with Civilian Supremacy) is authorized to use what forces..military..of course included ..but appropriate force. This would presumably include civilian law enforcement against criminals..armed forces against militaries in battle. It seems the right force for the right circumstance, Congress did not eliminate civilian functions. 11) Seperation of Powers: This is the crux of everything at stake. I argue, and believe I suppoprt well, the AUMF was an ordinary authorization for use of force under the standard mechanisms, carefully written not to changer or supercede the War Powers temmplate for the use of force, and offer throughout these documents consistent quotes from the Supreme Court consisten with that interpretation, suggesting what, in the normal and universaly recognnized laws and standard conventions of war are recognized. The President though, as I equally document extensively, takes a much different reading of the AUMF. While mentioning the phrase "neccesary and appropriate" a great deal, and suggesting therefore anything he feels is "neccesary and appropriate" as Commander in Chief is therefore authorized, his much greater unarticulated reliance is upon the words "he defines" as responsible for 9/11, and uses that very word in CAPS as he pronounces Jose Padilla guilty in the military order arrest warrrant for him. What the Supreme Court upheld in Hamdi is that "'necessary and apprpropriate ' force agaist those responsible .' avoiding, with the early placement of the comma, the pesky and hastily placed words "he defines." The Supreme Court spends the rest of the document asserting that is a a nuetral third party, the courts, which will make the final determination of those brought to justice, by military or civilian police force. What is interesting, and also not yet argued, is that if you take the Commander In Chief's position upon this, that his branch alone is the arbitor of guilt, that detainees are combatants, not POW or criminal suspects, that Judiciary function has been placed under his command, even for citizen arrests, such as unarmed Padilla it is indeed the suggestion that martial law has been declared. Further, if the President's assertion is extended that such people, even when captured, as still "enemy combatants" rather than either criminal suspects or POWs lawfull or unlawfull prisoners, then nothing would suggest a limmit upon the Exectuive to simply summarily execute the prisoners in "the conduct of the war." The entire fucntion of our democracy is based on the seperation of powers, dividing law making, law enforcement, and judicial function, split among separate branches. By militarizing government, ending Civilian Supremacy, as Commander In Chief, civilian functions of our government is transformed into a militarily run (but not run under Military law enacted by Congress,) under one authoritty, the Commander In Chief. Claiming the Authorization for Use Of Military Force authorized, at Presidentail discretion, the militarization of all aspects of Government and Justice, all powers of Government become concentrated under the Commander in Chief, who no longer recognizes the civilian laws and treaties of Congress, nor the applicability of Constitutional rights for citizens his branch declares "enemy combatants," thus militrizing them. Under this context, the Case of Jose Padilla is about more than whether he is innocent or guilty. It is about which branches of our Government still retains authority over US citizens not "captured" in a combat zone. Quite the opposite, upon his "capture" by the military, Jose Padilla was sitting unarmed in a Manhattan Jail cell on a civilian related warrant. Arrested by force by the military under orders of the President to the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeild, the military is now preventing him from accessing civilian courts and keeping him incommunicado. The President argues that any interference from the Judicial Branch would intrude upon his powers of Commander In Chief as he has assumed under the AUMF, and would be unconstitutional. He declares absolute, and military authority over all aspects of justice related to the war on terrorism now. If indeed the AUMF was intended to grant him such authority as to suspend all other laws, treaties, and constitutional requirements as he suggests, the prospect becomes even more frightening considering the testimony of Chief Justice of the United States nominee Judge Roberts, who has already ruled against Padilla and Habeas Corpus upholding the Presidents claimed powers while serving on the DC Court of Appeals. In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Roberts asserted that the question of whether congress has the power to end was as well as start it, he described such a notion as "unsettled." In other words, he does not at least now see a definitive basis for Congress to "undeclared" war. If this interpretation holds, the meaning it would be that Congress lacked the authority to take back the "powers" it granted to the Commander in Chief," assuming they ever intended to grant such powers in the first place. 2). Its all about Free Speech. Republicans used to love holding up signs in Congress saying "Its Spending, Stupid" trying to pursued people that the country's budget deficit was caused by spending, not taxation. In the case of detainees, the issue is free speech and the first amendment. Long critical of China, Russia, and other totalitarian states, the US had held true to its basic ideals of rights of the accused, of free, fair, and open trials, and a functioning criminal justice system that protected all citizens, regardless of what the President had to say about them. But Bush has changed that for this nation, and in so doing, he has changed who Jose Padilla, and other detainees who will receive no or "military" trials, really are. Bush has turned them into dissidents. Repressive states have always made the arguments that their dissidents are really criminals, conspiring against the state, and often, they are right. In fact, we often even kind of liked that because we are often conspiring against those same states as well and wouldn't mind it if they got overthrown. That has never been enough however. We have also understood, perhaps because of our secret empathy for dissidents of other states, the need for human rights, fairness, and justice. Until accused criminals receive a fair trial conducted by a neutral party, as the Supreme Court recently required of the President in the Hamdi case (which the President still defies,) the mere Government press accusation of criminality is not enough. Not enough because unless the Government wants to prove it, such allegations are meaningless in theory and in practice. In theory because ideological enemies only, or the political enemies of Government office holders, all start to look the same to the Government. Motive and opportunity are the elements of crime, and anti-state ideology suddenly appear to become just that element. In practice because the Governments public admonititions against enemy of the state citizens rarely end up having much weight, especially when the dissident is held incommunicado simultaneously. Such is the case with Jose Padilla. Initially Ashcroft and a bunch of political appointees from the Department of Justice came out grandstanding that Jose Padilla was working on "dirty bomb," but such would never be accused in court, because as an enemy of the state. or a enemy combatant against our state as the language is now, as determined by the President and his intelligence unit (both the identity of the units and the findings are still secret though,) their would therefore be no trial. In finding this, Bush transformed himself into a dictator, and Jose Padilla into a dissident. And even more troubling for our history of democracy, the realties of the Jose Padilla situation (and until we hear from Jose Padilla himself, we are relying totally on the words of REDACTED,) is that what the Government initially claimed about him wasn't true after all. Initially, we and the courts were told Jose Padilla was a highly trained unprecedentedly dangerous "super terrorist" and that he was working on a "dirty bomb." And the Government even resents having to make one sided accusations to the courts, and is fighting that as well. And the Government asserted to the courts the "detainees" from battle would be humanely treated, that our President's Executive branch was apposed to torture Neither unchallengeable statement turned out to be true. The Government does engage in torture, and until we are allowed to hear from former "high value targets" of the Department of Justice and the President' spy agencies such as the Defense Intelligence Agency, we won't know how much, which is precisely why such "targets" are being held incommunicado indefinitely. It also turns out that the wasn't working on a dirty bomb at all. If we believe what the President's men say now, he once suggested that, but Al Queda turned him down. And he also suggested once that he initiate his own nuclear weapons program and build a real nuclear weapon. More, he actually ended up (at most) conspiring to blow up apartment buildings by leaving the natural gas in the units turned on (he would pre-select apartments that had natural gas,) but even that plan, if ever carried out, was flawed because natural gas is spiked with a pungent aroma so if can be smelled when leaking, and only a troubled street criminal of 20 at the time, he could not get along with his fellow conspirator and they appear to have parted ways. Not the super terrorist we were told about at all. In fact much less dangerous than right wing Christian terrorist Eric Rudolph, who, in opposition to homosexuality and privacy rights bombed the US Olympics in Atlanta and multiple abortion clinics in several states, and having carried out those acts, killed numerous including a police officer. But the DOJ nicely plea bargained Eric Rudolph, who was provided lawyers, and who had long evaded capture with the help of friendly religious supporters, down to life in prison for a confession detailing where his other 250 pounds of explosives were hidden, a confession obtained with no "coercive interrogation." And Eric Rudolph got his day in court. Actually, many of them, and access to press, family, etc., in visiting. What might make Jose Padilla more of a threat to President Bush and the Department of Justice is not that he is more guilty than Eric Rudolph, but instead that Jose Padilla is actually innocent of what the Bush administration first accused him of (if you believe the Bush administration now,) and might even be innocent of what they finally accused him of. Perhaps he has become a witness about Bush administration perjury before the high court or the use or the practice of torture. We just don't know, and what of the non-secret stuff there is that the Bush administration likes to tell to the newspapers, but even in that, the Government isn't looking to credible just through the conflicts in their own statements. In better times for the US, the Senate ratified the international verion of Habeas Corpus through the United Nations Human Rights Commission. This treaty calls for the mandatory court appearance of any person detained by a government. Like the Uniform Code of Military Justice (itself requiring fair trials even planned tribunals do not meet,) the Constitution, US criminal law, the requirements of the courts and case law, the President sees none of this as binding on him since he now "authorized to use military force." If we take him at his word on that, what would stop him from simply executing these combatants, or now, more precisely, dissidents.? Some time ago, not that far from the time this rounding up of uncaused enemies of the state began for indefinite military detentions, the Chinese arranged to get us kicked off the UN Human Rights committee. The Republicans were outraged. How dare they, don't they know who we are:? Well, considering our use of torture, our treatment of "detainees," our abandonment of criminal justice, our holding our uncaused dissidents incommunicado indefinitely without charges other than to the newspapers by grandstanding politicians fear mongering, perhaps they did know precisely who we are. 5) Fourth Iteration [outlay of briefs] The core arguments of the Bush cronies are; 1) We are quietly disappearing Habeas Corpus itself because it is a national emergency but aren't really saying so because 2) The Authorization of the Use of Force grants me all "necessary and appropriate" powers I decide I need, as commander in chief, unchallenged by the courts, beyond congressional law in matters of war. Uh huh. Start with argument #2. The whole idea of the War Power Resolution of 1973 (far post-dating Quirin, a Supreme Court case of WWII,) was to define the war powers, and reign in presidents run amok marching around in their Commander in Chief hats. The very intent, breath, spirit, and language of the War Powers Act, which the AUMF is explicitly a subordinate element of, is containing the power grabs of the Commander in Chief, the greatest fear the Framers had as well. From the AUMF, granting the President "necessary and appropriate" use of force in response to 9/11. "(b) War Powers Resolution Requirements- (1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution. (2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution." This is where all the President's plumbers get into trouble. Every thing in the War Powers Resolution says that the authorizations for force under it are ENTIRELY defined as mandates on the Commander in chief to carry out his authority in accordance with Congressional law and treaties, and not attempt to assume any additional "war time" authorities which otherwise do not exist. Among the typical language of the War Powers Resolution .. "(d) Nothing in this joint resolution--(1) is intended to alter the constitutional authority of the Congress or of the President, or the provision of existing treaties; " In other words, even when force is authorized by Congress, such as with the Authorization for Use of Military Force enacted under 8(a) and 5(B) of the War Powers Act, the WPR still explicitly does not allow the President any additional constitutional or legal "extras" for time of war. All laws still stand, Habeas Corpus, Posse Commitatus, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the courts in interpreting such law. Quite the opposite, Congress reserves itself the right to make law and treaties that are binding on the President even in time of war. The War Powers Resolution explains .. "(b) Under article I, section 8, of the Constitution, it is specifically provided that the Congress shall have the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution, not only its own powers but also all other powers vested by the Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof." (Presumably hinting at theDefense Department, though applying such law to all Executive Branch Departmentts.) Thus again, all Congressional law and treaty remain in effect, even when use of force is authorized for the Commander in Chief. So how can the President run around arguing per "quirin, " a supreme court case 30 years or so before the War Powers Resolution was enacted, supersedes the very specific War Powers Resolution of 1973? The AUMF is a tool of the War Powers Resolution, and it is explicitly limiting, even demanding, in reducing the Commander in Chiefs power to normal authorities even in time of "authorized force." How can the President claim such intent to reign him in is unconstrained? To suggest the War Powers Act limits his authority is anti-matter to his 2nd core argument that the AUMF, a statutory device and subordinate to the WPR, is designed to GRANT him unchecked constitutional authority. The arguments don't mix, water can not be set on fire. The language of the War Powers Resolutions, cited in the AUMF, doom his argument #2. Which forces him back to his first argument he tries not to rely on. In time of special national emergency he might have some additional authority to respond to the emergency before Congress can act, providing he report on his actions, but even that doesn't get him very far. The most important Constitutional provision he is trying to suspend is Habeas Corpus, the right to appear in court. and the specific law of Habeas Corpus can not be suspended even by the Commander in Chief in time of war. So maybee he is just kidnapping citizens, holding them incommunicado, and interogating them round the clock for years. That seem say it much more simply. 6) Additional documents from earlier documents. Part III The Supreme Court on the Yaser Hamdi case. The new law of Detainees, until the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, very friendly to Bush, just basically defied it, in an interpretation not entirely explicable. In fact, the 4th Circuit used the Supreme Court opinion overturning their own original ruling on the issue, "citing" the Supreme Court authorizing the very thing they were actually striking down, the original 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision. Case-Hamdi: Yaser Hamdi was captured on the field of battle, perhaps, in Afghanistan. Actually the Supreme Court wondered allowed in the Cert grant if he wasn't just living there are the time. The details were murky, and the case fizzled out into negotiation before resolution. The core of Hamdi's case was similar to Padilla's except that Padilla was "captured" in a non-combat situation (in a civilian jail) in the US. Other than that, these cases are viewed as quite similar, and the Hamdi ruling impacts Padilla, who the Supreme Court has not taken up. Writ of Certiorari, Hamdi, similar to Padilla, but seized in Afghanistan rather than in Manhattan, as Padilla was. October 2003. A Supreme Court majority opinion authored by Sandra Day O'Connor dances fine lines in enemy combatant decisions. While much of the language was hailed by civil libertarians, significant issues were left undecided, or in some cases, decided several ways which reflected choices under the law. On detaining people from the battle field- The AUMF authorizes the President to use "all necessary and appropriate force" against "nations, organizations, or persons" associated with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. 115 Stat. 224. There can be no doubt that individuals who fought against the United States in Afghanistan as part of the Taliban, an organization known to have supported the al Qaeda terrorist network responsible for those attacks, are individuals Congress sought to target in passing the AUMF. We conclude that detention of individuals falling into the limited category we are considering, for the duration of the particular conflict in which they were captured, is so fundamental and accepted an incident to war as to be an exercise of the "necessary and appropriate force" Congress has authorized the Presi-dent to use. The capture and detention of lawful combatants and the capture, detention, and trial of unlawful combatants, by "universal agreement and practice," are "important inci-dent[s] of war." Ex parte Quirin, 317 U. S., at 28. Thus the pure detention of Hamdi was upheld, if the detaining principle asserted by the government was that he was a lawful combatant, and the government reached that decision by granting "lawful" status to the detained even though he was a US Citizen, taking up arms against the US. Presumably, under such determination, the detainee would be made available to the Red Cross and other defined measures for lawful combatants would be in place. This would go to a "least charges" option of the Government. The Supreme Court used some inverted logic from Quirin to arrive here. In Quirin, the Government wanted to try and execute, by military tribunal, these US spies. In Quirin, the spy, Haupt, asserted he could not be tried by tribunal since he was an American citizen. The Supreme Court ruled in Quirin, in 1942 his citizenship, if it really existed, did not matter. As an illegal combatant, he could be tried for crimes militarily in the US by the US regardless of his citizenship. The court today rules if the military had the authority to ignore his citizenship in trying him for a crimes back then, it also had the lesser authority of ignoring his citizenship and thus not charging him with Treason, and keeping him a simple prisoner of war. It explained. While Haupt was tried for violations of the law of war, nothing in Quirin suggests that his citizenship would have precluded his mere detention for the duration of the relevant hostilities. (as a lawful POW.) By the availability of this option, this "menu choice" for the military, aka Bush, the intent must apparently be to grant lawful status to the POW. Citing the laws of war, the Supreme Court adds "It is now recognized that 'Captivity is neither a punishment nor an act of vengeance,' but 'merely a temporary detention which is devoid of all penal charac-ter.' . . . 'A prisoner of war is no convict; his imprisonment is a simple war measure. And yet the government appears to disavow the no penal and simple detention from the battlefield combatants characteristics. The incommunicado detentions without regard to international treaty or human rights accords belays the Governments use of this option and the Government is publicly pressing these detainees as not only unlawful criminals, but among the most dangerous there have ever been. The Supreme Court, in the Hamdi grant of writ offered the other context as a valid path. Going back to their instructive quote, "The capture and detention of lawful combatants and the capture, detention, and trial of unlawful combatants, by "universal agreement and practice," are "important incident[s] of war." Ex parte Quirin, " Yielding option 1, "the capture and detention of lawful combatants," option 2, "the capture, detention, and trial of unlawful combatants" appears to come into effect by default of the first by "universal agreement and practice" using the Quirin opinion as basis. Given that the Government is denying the standard requisite recognized humanitarian aspects to the detention of Hamdi (and also Padilla) the requirement of the criminal option would appear to kick in. Interestingly, the quotes in this section were sourced from the International Red Cross and Nuremberg laws, perhaps hinting at the international requirements of lawful detentions. On the AUMF: Preceding the line "the capture and detention of lawful combatants, and the capture, detention, and trial of unlawful combatants, but universal agreement and practice, are important incidents of war" was the issue of the AUMF and the power it granted the President. "We conclude that detention of individuals falling into the limited category we are considering, for the duration of the particular conflict in which they were captured, is so fundamental and accepted an incident to war as to be an exercise of the "necessary and appropriate force" Congress has authorized the Presi-dent to use. " Here, the language is consistent with the AUMF interpretation I offer earlier, that the AUMF authorizes, at least at minimum, normal use of Presidential authority in the conduct of war. The O'Connor writes "We conclude that detention of individuals falling into the limited category we are considering, for the duration of the particular conflict in which they were captured, is so fundamental and accepted an incident to war as to be an exercise of the "necessary and appropriate force" Congress has authorized the President to use." In other words, the AUMF allows the President the ordinary act of ordinary detentions, lawful or criminal, with an ordinary grant of power through the AUMF. The Supreme Court, in its tradition of unnecessarily deciding matter not required for a just conclusion, ignored any conclusion the President's powers were expanded by the AUMF beyond normal war time authority, rather his option to capture and detain POWs was long standing, and his option to capture, detain, and try criminals was long standing. Congress or laws of war already vested such powers to the President, ergo no special powers were required to operate within those definitions given that the AUMF authorized war. Further on the AUMF, the Supreme Court states this. "Hamdi contends that the AUMF does not authorize indefinite or perpetual detention. Certainly, we agree that indefinite detention for the purpose of interrogation is not authorized." Nevertheless, the Supreme Court, in great deference to the President, did not recognize the end of the War in Afghanistan, nor contest the conditions of Hamdi's detention to date as non-POW like. This it is taking the President at his "word," which he has not infact offered for either Padilla, Hamdi, or any other US detainee of which secretly there are others, will be treated as POWs. The President, in not so subtle defiance of the courts, still refuses any conferred status or rights to the "detainees." On the overall legality of "enemy combatant" citizen detainees held incommunicado by the president "We therefore hold that a citizen-detainee seeking to challenge his classification as an enemy combatant must receive notice of the factual basis for his classification, and a fair opportunity to rebut the Government 's factual asser-tions before a neutral decisionmaker." Concessions to the Government, making it easier to conduct war. "Hearsay, for example, may need to be accepted as the most reliable available evidence from the Government in such a proceeding. Likewise, the Constitution would not be offended by a presumption in favor of the Government's evidence, so long as that presumption remained a rebuttable one and fair opportunity for rebuttal were provided. Thus, once the Government puts forth credible evidence that the habeas petitioner meets the enemy-combatant criteria, the onus could shift to the petitioner to rebut that evidence with more persuasive evidence that he falls outside the criteria. A burden shifting scheme of this sort would meet the goal of ensur- ing that the errant tourist, embedded journalist, or local aid worker has a chance to prove military error while giving due regard to the Executive once it has put forth meaningful support for its conclusion that the detainee is in fact an enemy combatant. " In other words, for simple "detainee" status, a neutral decision maker, starting with the presumption the government is right, could basically be give a quick pass on checking for a mistaken capture. This procedure, however, appears only to contest "detainee" status. Should the government find unlawful (criminal) conduct, there is no indication so light a procedure would be the measure. Also, its is ok for the Military, in conducting war, to hold people a little while, until it can take its next step. The Supreme Court writes - "We think it unlikely that this basic process will have the dire impact on the central functions of warmaking that the Government forecasts. The parties agree that initial captures on the battlefield need not receive the process we have discussed here; that process is due only when the determination is made to continue to hold those who have been seized." Finally, on the right for neutral review even just for "combatant" determination, the Supreme Court continues "Because we hold that Hamdi is constitutionally entitled to the process described above, we need not address at this time whether any treaty guarantees him similar access to a tribunal for a determination of his status. " Interesting because the Supreme Court recognized, even for the most basic category of combatant, accused of no wrong, a neutral review is required, it found no reason to measure the requirements in international treaties of law and war. However, if the Bush admin is still seeking to discount the domestic legal obligations, the court offered no grounds one way or the other on denying international requirements. Tellingly, however, the willingness of the Court to review international requirements in the absence of domestic ones may suggest a Court willingness to accept international treaty, ratified by Congress, as binding on the President despite his assertions about the AUMF freeing him of such. Further, on the administrations arguments that by militarizing these matters, all the relevant powers fall under the Commander in Chief, and are beyond Congressional and Judicial interference, the Court disagrees, and further states that it envisions itself as the neutral decision maker. "In so holding, we necessarily reject the Government's assertion that separation of powers principles mandate a heavily circumscribed role for the courts in such circumstances. Indeed, the position that the courts must forgo any examination of the individual case and focus exclusively on the legality of the broader detention scheme cannot be mandated by any reasonable view of separation of powers, as this approach serves only to condense power into a single branch of government. We have long since made clear that a state of war is not a blank check for the President when it comes to the rights of the Nation's citizens." Further - "Likewise, we have made clear that, unless Congress acts to suspend it, the Great Writ of habeas corpus allows the Judicial Branch to play a necessary role in maintaining this delicate balance of governance, serving as an important judicial check on the Executive's discretion in the realm of detentions. See St. Cyr, 533 U. S., at 301 ("At its historical core, the writ of habeas corpus has served as a means of reviewing the legality of Executive detention, and it is in that context that its protections have been strongest"). Thus, while we do not question that our due process assessment must pay keen attention to the particular burdens faced by the Executive in the context of military action, it would turn our system of checks and balances on its head to suggest that a citizen could not make his way to court with a challenge to the factual basis for his detention by his government, simply because the Executive opposes making available such a challenge. Absent suspension of the writ by Congress, a citizen detained as an enemy combatant is entitled to this process." In fact, much of the decision is peppered with pot shots at Commander in Chiefs run amok. From here, the Hamdi decision fizzled down into an individually negotiated agreement between him and the Government for him to be released into the custody of a foreign government. In short, and summarizing the Presidents attempt to become Judge, Jury, and Executioner of US Citizens, in secret, the concluding analysis was .In so holding, we necessarily reject the Government's assertion that separation of powers principles mandate a heavily circumscribed role for the courts in such circum-stances. Indeed, the position that the courts must forgo any examination of the individual case and focus exclu-sively on the legality of the broader detention scheme cannot be mandated by any reasonable view of separation of powers, |
I have been commenting on other IMCs about simple steps to action that these individuals participating in civil disobedience can take so that they can learn something and participate in the current legal system. Hopefully they can learn how to protect each other just in case one of them wind up in a jury trial or in grand jury proceedings.
A very good website I found useful information is at http://www.fija.org
Our forerunner kindred folks who helped found this nation, fought and died hard for a jury system that was suppose to keep government off the backs of the people.
This brings me to another thought involving the case of Laird v. Tatum, 408 U.S. 1 (1972) url...http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=408&invol=1
and the dissenting opinion of justice Douglas involving Army surveillance of civilians...
"Surveillance of civilians is none of the Army's constitutional business and Congress has not undertaken to entrust it with any such function. The fact that since this litigation started the Army's surveillance may have been cut back is not an end of the matter. Whether there has been an actual cutback or whether the announcements are merely a ruse can be determined only after a hearing in the District Court. We are advised by an amicus curiae brief filed by a group of former Army Intelligence Agents that Army surveillance of civilians is rooted in secret programs of long standing:
"Army intelligence has been maintaining an unauthorized watch over civilian political activity for nearly 30 years. Nor is this the first time that [408 U.S. 1, 28] Army intelligence has, without notice to its civilian superiors, overstepped its mission. From 1917 to 1924, the Corps of Intelligence Police maintained a massive surveillance of civilian political activity which involved the use of hundreds of civilian informants, the infiltration of civilian organizations and the seizure of dissenters and unionists, sometimes without charges. That activity was opposed - then as now - by civilian officials on those occasions when they found out about it, but it continued unabated until post-war disarmament and economies finally eliminated the bureaucracy that conducted it." Pp. 29-30.
This case involves a cancer in our body politic. It is a measure of the disease which afflicts us. Army surveillance, like Army regimentation, is at war with the principles of the First Amendment. Those who already walk submissively will say there is no cause for alarm. But submissiveness is not our heritage. The First Amendment was designed to allow rebellion to remain as our heritage. The Constitution was designed to keep government off the backs of the people. The Bill of Rights was added to keep the precincts of belief and expression, of the press, of political and social activities free from surveillance. The Bill of Rights was designed to keep agents of government and official eavesdroppers away from assemblies of people. The aim was to allow men to be free and independent and to assert their rights against government. There can be no influence more paralyzing of that objective than Army surveillance. When an intelligence officer looks over every nonconformist's shoulder in the library, or walks invisibly by his side in a picket line, or infiltrates his club, the America once extolled as the voice of liberty heard around the world no longer is [408 U.S. 1, 29] cast in the image which Jefferson and Madison designed, but more in the Russian image, depicted in Appendix III to this opinion.
APPENDIX I TO OPINION OF DOUGLAS, J., DISSENTING"
Why or why do we forget so easily.