Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Time To Scrap the Patriot Act

I really don't mind the federal government doing things like this to non-U.S. citizens who sport funny beards, wear towels on their heads, smell of camel dung, and have been actually caught planning or carrying out a terrorist attack against this country, as I do not believe the provisions of the U.S. Constitution should apply to such people, but for the government to do this to a 16yo U.S. citizen is unconscionable:

Around 10 p.m. on March 5, Lundeby said, armed FBI agents along with three local law enforcement officers stormed her home looking for her son. They handcuffed him and presented her with a search warrant.

"I was terrified," Lundeby's mother said. "There were guns, and I don't allow guns around my children. I don't believe in guns."
Never in my worst nightmare did I ever think that it would be my own government that I would have to protect my children from," Lundeby said. "This is the United States, and I feel like I live in a third world country now.

Third world country, indeed.

You can read the whole WRLA story here.

I have no idea as to the guilt or innocence of young Mr. Lundeby, but that is irrelevant at this point.

Unless or until the federal government produces evidence that this young American is in some way connected to the Islamist barbarians that we are currently at war with, then he deserves to be treated the same as any other citizen suspect, and should be afforded all the rights and protections provided for in the Constitution.

(h/t: Drudge)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dave,

The MSM are trying to spin this as no big deal since he was given a court-appointed lawyer and appeared before a judge for the indictment. Yeah, that's the beginning and end of due process. Oh, and they are mocking the mother for citing the PATRIOT Act since the federal agents didn't tell her that's what it was. Seems to be a pretty consistent MO with them, and only the naive would discount her story for that.

If Republicans jump on this as a way of embarrassing Obama, they are a bunch of hypocrits.

Dave said...

Anonymous,

I have a friend who's European cousin is currently being held under the provisions of the Patriot Act.

There is no way this young lady is guilty of anything, yet the government is essentially holding her virtually incommunicado.

Like you, I think we are seeing the beginning of the end of due process in this country.

-Dave

When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered. -Dorothy Thompson