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Constitutional experts: pro-life ‘terrorists’ could be permanently detained without trial under law
LifeSiteNews ^ | 1/4/12 | Ben Johnson

Posted on 01/04/2012 4:29:55 PM PST by wagglebee

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 3, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Constitutional experts warn a new law that allows the president to permanently detain U.S. citizens without trial could be used against pro-life activists, who have already been defined as potential terrorists in documents by some government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security.

“This law can apply to pro-lifers, yes,” said John W. Whitehead, a constitutional attorney and founder of The Rutherford Institute. Whitehead told LifeSiteNews.com the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (NDAA) “would allow the military to show up at your door if you’re a ‘potential terrorist,’ and put you in military detention where seeing a lawyer is difficult.”

The NDAA, which President Barack Obama signed on December 31, allows the president to hold enemy combatants in military detention facilities without trial until the end of hostilities, if the person “substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners.” The law allows the president to determine which groups may be considered terrorists without judicial or congressional oversight, although Secretary of Defense is required to “regularly brief” Congress about “covered persons.”

Sen. Carl Levin, D-MI, said the Obama administration specifically asked senators for the power to permanently detain American citizens without trial and to “remove the language which says that U.S. citizens and lawful residents would not be subject to this section.”

Although Section 1022 states, “The requirement to detain a person in military custody under this section does not extend to citizens of the United States,” many contend the law allows detention as an option for Americans captured abroad. Glenn Greenwald of Salon summarized, “For foreign nationals accused of being members of Al Qaeda, military detention is mandatory; for U.S. citizens, it is optional.”

Dana Cody, president and executive director of Life Legal Defense Foundation, said pro-life activists “already are classified as domestic terrorists on some FBI lists.” She said that on one occasion the manager of a Kansas City, Kansas, abortion clinic slammed her client, Mary Ann Sause, to the ground and told the peaceful pro-life demonstrator he was photographing her license plate so he could report her to the FBI.

Cody, who told LifeSiteNews.com her organization is currently studying the NDAA, added that the law states “enemy territory is anywhere.” The Senate rejected an amendment from Dianne Feinstein limiting permanent detention to those captured “abroad.”

“If it’s within the discretion of the government under the National Defense Authorization Act, of course it will be used by the government to intimidate and silence pro-life people, especially those who are in the public forum,” Cody said.

In his signing statement, President Obama wrote, “I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens. Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a Nation.” [sic.]

“The signing statement means nothing,” Whitehead said. “The signing statement is a political thing he hoped would settle the fears of the ACLU. If you give the president the power to come get you, he’s going to do it if he needs to, or if the corporations funding him say you are a potential terrorist.”

Whitehead said one of his clients, street preacher Michael Marcavage, has become the target of an FBI terrorist investigation. Whitehead wrote a letter to FBI director Robert Mueller asking why Marcavage is being investigated for preaching the Gospel. The FBI has not responded.

Under this administration, the Department of Homeland Security has listed pro-life organizations as potential domestic terrorists and held joint training sessions with the FBI to monitor pro-life websites.

An April 2009 DHS report entitled “Rightwing [sic.] Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” identified as likely terrorists “groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration,” or who would be “antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues.” Such groups, the report concluded, “are the most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States.” The DHS later pulled the report.

However, last August DHS and FBI agents attended a terrorism training seminar hosted by Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Federation, and the Feminist Majority Foundation that equated free speech and distributing literature with violence. An 84-page resource guide listed three pages of potential extremist websites including Priests for Life, National Right to Life, the American Life League, Concerned Women for America, Human Life International, the American Center for Law and Justice, and the Christian Broadcasting Network.

In 1994-6, the Clinton administration’s Justice Department subpoenaed longtime pro-life activists in hopes of uncovering a terrorist conspiracy to kill abortionists. The Violence Against Abortion Providers Conspiracy (VAAPCON) program compiled a vast database of information on anti-abortion groups and individuals, including the National Right to Life Committee, the late John Cardinal O’Connor of New York, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, Concerned Women for America, the Christian Coalition, Feminists for Life, and the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops, which condemned the secret database.

Whitehead warns the NDAA is “a threat to anybody causing trouble – that means exercising your rights.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; bloodoftyrants; democrats; govtabuse; moralabsolutes; ndaa; obama; policestate; prolife; rapeofliberty; tyranny
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To: wagglebee

The NDAA, which President Barack Obama signed on December 31, allows the president to hold enemy combatants in military detention facilities without trial until the end of hostilities, if the person “substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners.”


Are pro-life protestors frequently seen in the company of Al Qaeda, the Taliban or associated forces?


21 posted on 01/04/2012 9:22:48 PM PST by Grunthor (Do you worship the State or do you worship the Lord? There is no middle ground.)
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To: wagglebee

As could “Second Amendment Terrorists”, or “Taco Stand Terrorists”.


22 posted on 01/04/2012 9:45:35 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: wagglebee

Ramping up. Where will it end?


23 posted on 01/04/2012 9:55:19 PM PST by little jeremiah (We will have to go through hell to get out of hell.)
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To: hal ogen

As much as he is decried here, Ron Paul voted against this legislation. But he’s a wackadoodle, right?


24 posted on 01/04/2012 10:52:05 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: Smokin' Joe

Ron Paul voted against this legislation and good for him for doing so. Unfortunately, for unrelated reasons he is, in fact, a “wackadoodle” and a certifiable crackpot. Broken clock, right twice a day, etc.


25 posted on 01/04/2012 11:35:12 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline, Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club: Burn 'em Bright!!!)
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To: A.Hun

Perhaps you should have written what you did in huge red letters, or pinged every poster on this thread.

Is there a convention for this on FR like a huge stop sign graphic? I’ve seen this situation occur before with Freepers getting up in arms over a hoax, with the lone but correct naysayer (not me) buried in the noise. Maybe a convention should BE established.


26 posted on 01/05/2012 2:38:18 AM PST by UnChained
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To: A.Hun

Here’s a decent article that breaks down the intentionally vague and confusing language of NDAA 2012

http://yeyoungeconomist.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/fact-check-national-defense-authorization-act-of-2012/

Two questions A.Hun for you since you think this is a all about nothing situation.

1. Why did the Obama admin specifically ask that the language protecting US citizens from any of this be specifically removed before he would consider signing it?

2. Why would the President after signing it have to release a special statement saying he wouldn’t target American citizens since parts of the NDAA 2012 he has reservations with, sec 1021 to be exact?

There’s more than a few FReepers who have their heads way down in the sand on this one and think its nothing to worry about. This admin will be coming for our guns soon, and of course that will be nothing to worry about also right???


27 posted on 01/05/2012 3:46:09 AM PST by eak3
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To: wagglebee
Ah. So now I understand why California let so many prisoners go free.

To make space for us.

28 posted on 01/05/2012 3:48:52 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: Grunthor

Are pro-life protestors frequently seen in the company of Al Qaeda, the Taliban or associated forces?
***********************************
step by step ... just wait for V1.01 to be enacted (buried on P 1074 of an appropriations bill).


29 posted on 01/05/2012 4:16:44 AM PST by Neidermeyer
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To: wagglebee

Obama will classify the Tea Party and any gathering of and for the Tea Party as acts of sedition.


30 posted on 01/05/2012 4:22:37 AM PST by Eye of Unk (Castigo Cay by Matt Bracken, check it out. And his other works.)
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To: wagglebee

I see Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted for this, she shows her true colors.


31 posted on 01/05/2012 4:24:32 AM PST by Eye of Unk (Castigo Cay by Matt Bracken, check it out. And his other works.)
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To: trumandogz

Bookmark


32 posted on 01/05/2012 4:26:17 AM PST by DrewsMum
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To: wagglebee

I guess the “coalition parner” in this case would be this administration’s partner, Planned Parenthood. This is sick!


33 posted on 01/05/2012 4:39:02 AM PST by Catholic Iowan
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To: eak3
1. Why did the Obama admin specifically ask that the language protecting US citizens from any of this be specifically removed before he would consider signing it?

Because it limits his power, actually. FDR detained indefinitely thousands of US citizens after Pearl Harbor, and it was legal under the Constitution.

2. Why would the President after signing it have to release a special statement saying he wouldn’t target American citizens since parts of the NDAA 2012 he has reservations with, sec 1021 to be exact?

Probably to cover himself with his base. They don't believe a President should have any war powers. Thats just a guess...I have no idea wth Obama is thinking.

34 posted on 01/05/2012 5:10:37 AM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: UnChained

Thanks.

Its a tempest in a teapot for crackpots.


35 posted on 01/05/2012 5:12:00 AM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: maxwellsmart_agent

Sigh, if only the gov’t would realize that, we’d be much better off.


36 posted on 01/05/2012 5:21:59 AM PST by RoadGumby (This is not where I belong, Take this world and give me Jesus.)
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To: KrisKrinkle

That verbage is not in the law, that is an interpretation. Merely the most current, acceptable interpretation. We’ll see what changes. I hope you are right, but do not believe that you are.


37 posted on 01/05/2012 5:25:06 AM PST by RoadGumby (This is not where I belong, Take this world and give me Jesus.)
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To: wagglebee

So can environmental terrorists.


38 posted on 01/05/2012 6:33:59 AM PST by CPT Clay (Pick up your weapon and follow me.)
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To: Eye of Unk

Congressman Allen West supported this crap, too, and then he went on Glenn Beck’s radio show to defend his position.
Sickening.


39 posted on 01/05/2012 6:37:50 AM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (The "Occupy Wall Street" losers should try occupying their local employment office. GET A JOB!)
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To: maxwellsmart_agent

I wouldn’t bet much on that.

If you haven’t noticed, the US Constitution doesn’t mean much these days.


40 posted on 01/05/2012 7:27:29 AM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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