I can already hear everyone I know bitching at me about this blog post. This will, to me, prove who really stands for liberty and who is ready to sell out the Constitution when it suits their needs. The phrases like “don’t tread on me” and “give me liberty or give me death” can only mean so much if, when called to defend the Constitution, we let fear come between us and liberty.
The guy they arrested for the attempted car-bombing in Times Square has a foreign sounding name but he is an American citizen. John Mccain is out there saying he shouldn’t have been given his Miranda rights and I’m sure many people reading this agree. He is, after all, a terrorist, right? Weren’t Tim Mcveigh and the Unibomber? I am sure they were read their Miranda rights. They were taken to civilian courts with a jury for sure. And why wouldn’t they be? They are American citizens.
If they want to try this bastard for treason and have him drawn and quartered that is fine by me. But please don’t tell me that an American citizen, arrested on the streets of one of our cities, shouldn’t be given Miranda rights. I’ll bet if he were an illegal immigrant Mccain would have no problem with him.
If they can do it to this guy, they can do it to any of us. If Obama decides that some tea party organizer is a “threat” to national security can he arrest them and not give the Miranda warnings and take them to a military court? We are not talking about someone found fighting our soldiers in Iraq or some foreign national; this is an American citizen just like all of us.
I hope people understand that this is where the tea party folks need to stand up for the Constitution even though it is uncomfortable.
If they can take one of his rights away, they can take all of his rights away. If they can take away his rights, they can take away YOUR rights. End of story.
I agree and find nothing at all discomforting about giving the man full due process, including Miranda warnings. Why should anyone be bummed out that an evil person would be told that he has the right to counsel and to not answer questions? It is his right, whether he is evil or not.
Unfortunately, I have to agree… as unpleasant as it is in this particular case. Citizenship has the full weight of the Constitution backing it. Another reason I want illegal immigrants deported w/out amnesty. Let go and if they wish re-enter legally and go through the process my grandfather did.
American citizens DON'T have to be read their Miranda rights. Miranda rights aren't mentioned anywhere in the US Constitution. Not being read one's Miranda rights simply means that what they say can't be held against them in a court of law. In this particular case, there is so much other evidence against this knucklehead that we don't need evidence from his own mouth (e.g., a confession), so it's irrelevant whether or not he was read his Miranda rights.
In principle, however, I do agree with you. Anyone who is a US citizen should be afforded all their rights, even if they are particularly evil.
American citizens DON'T have to be read their Miranda rights. Miranda rights aren't mentioned anywhere in the US Constitution. Not being read one's Miranda rights simply means that what they say can't be held against them in a court of law. In this particular case, there is so much other evidence against this knucklehead that we don't need evidence from his own mouth (e.g., a confession), so it's irrelevant whether or not he was read his Miranda rights.
In principle, however, I do agree with you. Anyone who is a US citizen should be afforded all their rights, even if they are particularly evil.
I agree with this. The guy is a US citizen and should have the legal procederial rights entitled to him because of that.
I would also like to point out that the 5th amendment says no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, and property without the due process of law. It does not say what law or what the process is. My best guess is telling me that this prevents the government from abducting people off of the street without any law in place or be denied established procedures.