Have you heard about the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)? No? Well, you’re not alone, and in for quite a surprise. In the present day United States, American citizens have lost more rights than they realize, including the tragic loss of one of the most important tenets of the United States Constitution: the right to a fair trial.
To begin, the National Defense Authorization Act is a federal law that (in broad terms) specifies the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense. In 2012, President Obama signed the first version of the NDAA into effect with little scrutiny. The details of what the bill would do for Americans was slighted by, quietly reshaping some of our country’s fundamental values.
The act itself is quite long, and while mostly pertaining to the military’s budget, there are a few hidden provisions that will send a chill down your spine. One clause authorizes the U.S. Military to be able to detain both American citizens and foreign nationals under any circumstance, for an indefinite amount of time, WITHOUT the right to a fair trail or a lawyer; the only justification they need to imprison anyone is that the person is a perceived threat to the United States (either currently or in the past), and there is no specific description as to what that entails.
The NDAA is constantly being revised, and amendments are passed every year (so far, once in 2013 and 2014, with new amendments already in the works for 2015). Unfortunately, none of the revisions have removed the detrimental clause allowing indefinite detention of U.S. Citizens in secret. The 6th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is now null and void.
Basically, the federal government now has the right to pull people out of their homes in the middle of the night, ship them away to Guantanamo permanently, and don’t even have to tell their families what happened or let the suspect plead their case in front of a jury. There is no need for evidence when there is no trial.
Some argue that this clause only target enemies of the United States, but under the wording of this act – we have no way of telling exactly what that means. Who makes sure this power isn’t abused? What technically defines an enemy? Is the fact that I’m writing this article causing my name to be marked down as a potential threat? Will I suddenly disappear for bringing these facts to the public? I honestly don’t believe so; however, we should all be asking these questions and holding our government and leaders accountable for the laws they are passing in darkness.
In the New America we live in, our Constitutional rights are disappearing one by one in silence. These values originally shaped our country into one of the greatest on the planet – and now, we are shifting into a new age, led by a military dictatorship under the guise of war. Most Americans don’t want to believe this is happening, but they are only blinding themselves from reality. The America we once knew is gone, and changing rapidly by the day.
Still living in disbelief? Watch the video below for more details:
And if you’re still in doubt, read the full text of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 HERE.