During the Bush administration the United States formally installed a prison in Guantanamo Bay to hold what it called terrorists. Since its creation 779 detainees have been held there, with Bush releasing more than 500 and Obama 67, yet more than 171 detainees are still being held without the right to trial and with indefinite detention. Considered too dangerous to be tried in civilian courts, these prisoners have been left in a legal limbo.
American foreign and domestic policy have always upheld the right to trial and, innocence until proven guilty. However, the Guantanamo Bay prison has violated even the most basic of human rights, it not only has denied these rights but has also incurred in torture condoned by its past and present administrations.
The American public must be made fully aware of the conditions of said detainees and the reasons are obvious. The NDAA act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on New Year’s Eve. This act enables indefinite detention without trial of Americans and foreigners on American soil and in any part of the world on suspicion of terrorism and most probably detained in conditions similar to those of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners.
Who is it up to to define a terrorist? The Occupy Wall Street movement could well fit the description by simply protesting against the government and its interest in corporate profits. Is it the corporations, the government, the military? Where does the buck stop? Governments are made to serve the people and are of the people and by the people. When and why have governments stopped serving the common good?
These are just a few of the many questions that remain unanswered. Yet, we as the people have the obligation to see that governments serve us as they were initially intended to. Our Bill of Rights was written by our forefathers precisely to protect us against tyranny. They took the first steps, now it’s our time to defend those Rights with our lives if need be.
