The Constitution clearly gives rights to U.S. citizens. Why are we so fanatical about confering rights on those who seek to do us harm? Did we consider giving civil rights to Nazis?
2006-11-04 05:43:34 · 11 answers · asked by afreeman20035252 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
what's a terrorist?
your question scares me. does that make YOU a terrorist.
2006-11-04 05:46:28 · answer #1 · answered by B.B Top 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Firstly, even the Nazi's leaders that were captured were given a trial in which most of them were found guilty and hanged. Some of them were actually acquitted.
Secondly, its not about giving civil rights to terrorists. It's about giving civil rights to suspected terrorists. Not everyone in Guantanamo Bay is a terrorist, and innocent people get arrested and shipped to Libya to be tortured. We can't claim to be a just people and allow this to happen.
Thirdly, under the law, the president can have you, me or anyone jailed for as long as he pleases, without charge or a trial or access to a lawyer by simply labeling them as an enemy combatant. Even if you made the case that this isn't happening (and truly, how could anyone really be sure if it can be done without the interference of any other agency or court) then you'd still have to agree that for a leader to be able to do this walks a dangerous line between democracy and dictatorship.
2006-11-04 05:56:58 · answer #2 · answered by Chris D 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No absolutely not! The Constitutional Rights are for American citizens not immigrants or terrorists. They have no right to civil rights. They were not born and raised in this country. Even if they come to America legally, that doesn't entitle them to have civil rights. Those rights where made for Americans by Americans. We have established the rights to have them by being born and raised here. Our fore fathers fought for us to have them. It's not right to give equal rights to our enemies. Where's the justice in that? We should NEVER give other countries our civil rights! Those citizens don't deserve them, especially the terrorists and Nazi's!! It's bad enough we have hatred in this country and innocent people dying because of insensible selfish acts of terrorism but giving them equal rights like Americans! That's ridiculous to say the least! You might as well give a murderer a loaded gun and say "kill me"! That's exactly the same scenario!
2006-11-04 06:01:00 · answer #3 · answered by RedRoseofDesire 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Because democrats want them to have civil rights and eventually the right to vote so they will vote for, democrats....Next, they will declare terrorism as an affliction or illness and give them money for that too!
2006-11-04 05:46:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Apparently, you haven't read the Constitution.
It gives rights to "any person" and to any "accused". So, why are we asking about whether people accused of being terrorists are entitled to Constitutional rights? Because they are "persons" who are "accused". Read the constitution. Citizenship and nationality have nothing to do with the requirements of the 5th and 6th Amendments.
5th Amendment: "Nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law"
6th Amendment: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury ...; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense."
And as if being in the plain text of the 5th and 6th Amendments wasn't enough, the US Supreme Court has determined that any person accused and held by the US govt has constitutional rights, being "persons" who are "accused". They've said this dozens of times over the past century, most recently in June of this year.
It's shameful that the govt doesn't want to follow the Constitution.
But it's even more shameful that people are willing to allow those accused of a crime to be denied Constitutional protections, just because of the accusation. The whole concept of "innocent until proven guilty" requires due process, right against compelled self-incrimination, right to a fair trial, right of confrontation, right to counsel, and so on. That's what the Constitution requires, regardless of what the person is accused of doing. Because accusation and conviction are not the same. That's the whole point of why this country was founded. To prevent the government from denying people's rights just because it has the military power to do so.
If you disagree, then perhaps you should find a country that doesn't guarantee these Constitutional rights.
And yes, the Nazis were accorded all the treaty rights guaranteed by international law when they were tried. And the US was leading the charge to ensure that those trials were conducted according to law. It's shameful how far we've fallen since then.
{EDIT responding to email} Ok, so you have read it.
Try also reading the 200+ years of Supreme Court cases that have interpreted it. The 14th Amendment extends the protections of most of the Bill of Rights, applying them against the states. It does not limit constitutional protection only to citizens. Similar to with the Supremacy Clause, which says that states are subject to the federal Constitutional limits. And every Supreme Court case for a century has repeatedly confirmed that.
Yes, there are provisions that limit certain rights to citizens. Most of Article IV. Certain clauses of the 14th Amendment. The various provisions for voting. And so on. But those are not the sections at issue. And nothing, neither in the text nor any Supreme Court case, has ever limited the 5th Amendment Due Process clause or the 6th Amendment rights of the accused to apply to citizens only.
The Bush regime wants to be able to hold and punish people, before they are ever convicted of a crime, based solely on what they are charged with doing. The Constitution doesn't allow that. The Constitution limits what the government can do, and ensures that the government is not allowed to abuse its power at a whim. And those limits apply regardless of who the govt is accusing.
Anyone who argues that we should be able to deny Constitutional protections to people held in US custody -- subjecting them to unlimited persecution by the US government, based solely on a unilateral and unproven allegation -- with no due process and before any trial has occurred -- obviously has missed the entire point of why this country was founded in the first place.
2006-11-04 05:56:01 · answer #5 · answered by coragryph 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
do not say we, when i certainly do not think we should give them civil rights. its the libs and the mob front ACLU that wants to give them civil rights. they want every criminal and thug on the street because they hate america. no we did not consider giving nazis civil rights. you just have to grit your teeth and remember that these idiot libs do not run things, OR WE WOULD SERIOUSLY BE GIVING THEM ALL THE RIGHTS AMERICANS ENJOY.
2006-11-04 05:47:06 · answer #6 · answered by afterflakes 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
The poor misunderstood terrorist, why do you want them to ever had to go to court and be convicted.
They have thier rights to kill and destroy us. Knowing that they could never be convicted for planning something, ( it was for a book, they were doing research, and their moms would cry on tv that they were innocent)
Of course had we tired to do Hitler in court with all of the rights, how much evidence would be allowed into court with all of the US rules of evidence, Most likely he would have sued the US for destroying his country and we would have had to pay him for all of his loses.
2006-11-04 05:48:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Watch out yahoo will probably remove your question. Terrorists don't deserve any rights and if they took you hostage you would be treated worse then a pile of crap!
2006-11-04 05:48:57 · answer #8 · answered by dakota29575 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yep that's the way I see it. There are our enemies and people want to give them rights. Obviously these people aren't seeing the danger we are in .
"Don't listen to the republicans because they are spreading fear."
I hate that too. Remember, democrats have no future security plans nor any plans for Iraq.
2006-11-04 05:46:17 · answer #9 · answered by Squawkers 4 · 4⤊ 2⤋
the liberals would give civil rights to Satan himself, They are the party of dissent and our destruction.
2006-11-04 05:48:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because liberal democrats want us to just get along with the terrorists and maybe if we are nice to them they will be nice to us......But in the trerrorists world being nice means you are weak and if you are weak you will get terrorized.
2006-11-04 05:48:05 · answer #11 · answered by Curtis 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋