Keith Olbermann on the right of Habeas Corpus

Yes, Dear Listener, I hardly ever link to all those videos ripped off TV and promulgated through the web - but in this case I'll make an exception.

Don't let the obvious fact that the guy has watched this film too many times - what he's saying needs to be heard and, dare I say, acted on.

The Day Habeas Corpus Died
“Your words are lies, Sir.”  

From the MSNBC Network as seen on Crooks and Liars.

More information on Habeas Corpus.

Comments

[Phil]

You're links are screwed up - they're redirecting to the crooksandliars site -

Here is what I presume you intended to link to:

Habeas Corpus

[Jama]

This particular post generated an hour's worth of heated "discussion" between myself and my sister and her husband. It got ugly. It also went nowhere. I need asprin. Lots and lots of asprin. Some cough drops might be helpful too. Exactly how should one "act upon" this when the average American doesn't even know what Habeus Corpus means?

[Brianf]

I get such a chuckle when people speak out of ignorance. Jett, I never expected it from you.
The Military Commissions Act of 2006 is a bill which would suspend habeas corpus for any ALIEN determined to be an, "unlawful enemy combatant engaged in hostilities or having supported hostilities against the United States".
Contrary to what you or most would believe aliens ie. non US citizens have never had any consitutional rights ever in the entire history of our country and this act does not affect US citizens. They use to be called POW's but of course today we call them enemy combatants and do you really think they should to be granted the same rights you and I enjoy as US citizens? I don't and if you really look into what this act says you'll see there is no suspension of our liberties or rights just the reaffirmation of non-rights that have never exsisted.

[Jett Loe]

Thanks Phil - links have been corrected.

Jama sorry to hear of your troubles.

Brianf - yeah I know Olberman is full of hyperbole - but I tell ya I think Habeas Corpus died when a U.S. citizen, Jose Padilla was held for three years without charge.

But I'm hopeful that Habeas Corpus is not dead, maybe just resting?

Here's a nice collection of people arguing back and forth on this issue, (via Metafilter).

[Wayne Ordinary American]

Isn't 'hyperbole' the same thing as 'bullshit'?

Just asking...

[Jett Loe]

Nope - closer to exaggeration.

And though Olbermann seems to want to be Edward R. Murrow desperately - he has a point.

While Brianf is correct that the Act applies only to 'aliens' - as somone who has been married to non-U.S. Citizens I would not want to live in a country where my spouse could be taken away and imprisoned without knowing the charges against her.

And as others have pointed out there are bills in Congress that would strip you of your U.S. Citizenship for 'treasonous acts' - one could imagine a rubber-stamp '2-fer' tribunal where you're at first stripped of your citizenship and then imprisoned without proper writ of Habeas Corpus. We can't always expect those in power to be on the side of the angels - we need certain laws to keep them in line.