Last week, Coos County, Ore., commissioners passed a resolution opposing indefinite detention provisions written into the National Defense Authorization Act.
WHEREAS it appears to the Board of Commissioners the subsections 1021 and 1022 of Title X, Subtitle D of the NDAA authorizes indefinite military detention of persons the U.S. government suspects of involvement with terrorism, including U.S. citizens on American soil;
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the board of commissioners oppose the above-described provisions of the NDAA.
The resolution also asks the sheriff to “develop and implement a policy consistent with this resolution.”
The measure passed 2-1, and Sheriff Craig Zanni said he would sign on.
“It may not be as strong as some people like, but I think it works,” Zanni said.
Coos County joins a chorus of local governments across the U.S. opposing federal kidnapping. The commission took a strong first step. The resolutions sends an emphatic message to Salem, where state lawmakers have struggled to move state level indefinite detention nullification through the legislature.
Now activists need to seize the momentum and push for a binding ordinance prohibiting any county cooperation with federal indefinite detention. And other counties and cities in Oregon need to follow suit. Counties and cities can refuse to assist any federal attempts at indefinite detention in their jurisdictions. These measures will not only provide practical protections for their citizens, they will send a strong message to state legislators and put the pressure on to nullify federal kidnapping at the state level in the next legislative session.
Local governments won’t act without citizen input and grassroots pressure. The good news is a few dedicated individuals can make a difference at the local level.
That’s where you can step up to the plate.
Talk with your local representatives, local law enforcement, and even National Guard members. These local coalitions can stop indefinite detention through education, activism, and vigilance. Then nullify locally. Encourage your city, town, municipality and county to pass ordinances refusing to aid, enforce, or give resources to the military, DHS, or any other federal agency attempting detention under the NDAA.
The most important thing you can do right now: act locally. On a local level, you have a far greater chance of finding an elected politician who will listen to you and work to pass this legislation.
No, that doesn’t mean it’s just “easy” – because standing up for liberty is never easy. But, more importantly, you’ll have a far greater chance of success. Already, more than two-dozen local communities around the country have taken steps to reject or resist NDAA indefinite detention, and your help is needed to get this done in your area too.
When enough communities say no to unconstitutional federal acts, it will not only render them “nearly impossible to enforce” as Judge Napolitano has said, and it will also provide pressure needed to ensure that the state legislature does the right thing the next time around.
Resolution Against NDAA Indefinite Detention in Coos County, OR by Tenth Amendment Center