OK, it's official, we are through the looking glass on the treatment of suspected terrorists. Glenn Beck is the voice of reason and sanity. Yes, you read that right, Glenn Beck, reason, and sanity all in the same sentence. On Fox and Friends yesterday, Beck said of Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-born American citizen arrested in the attempted Times Square bombing:
"He is a citizen of the United States, so I say we uphold the laws and the Constitution on citizens. If you are a citizen, you obey the law and follow the Constitution. He has all the rights under the Constitution. We don't shred the Constitution when it's popular. We do the right thing."
Now compare that with the reactions from some other prominent Republicans and one Independent (allegedly). As AstrosGirlKel pointed out yesterday, John McCain said it was a "serious mistake" to read Shazad his Miranda rights. Scott Lemieux at Lawyers, Guns, and Money asked a question I'd like to hear Sen. McCain comment on:
The Arizona Senator didn't stop there, however. He's already assessed the death penalty--despite not knowing the charges:
Rep, Peter King (R-NY) also checked in on the issue of Miranda rights for Shahzad:
I can only imagine what King was thinking as he left that sentence hanging.
But the award for the most extreme, knee-jerk (emphasis on jerk) reaction comes from Joe Lieberman. He proposes taking away the citizenship of those who are "affiliated" (whatever that means) with foreign terrorist organizations when they are "apprehended and charged."
Our own Senator finds that "interesting":
I propose that we take away the citizenship of those who advocate that we take away the citizenship of others. I think that might solve the problem.
"He is a citizen of the United States, so I say we uphold the laws and the Constitution on citizens. If you are a citizen, you obey the law and follow the Constitution. He has all the rights under the Constitution. We don't shred the Constitution when it's popular. We do the right thing."
Now compare that with the reactions from some other prominent Republicans and one Independent (allegedly). As AstrosGirlKel pointed out yesterday, John McCain said it was a "serious mistake" to read Shazad his Miranda rights. Scott Lemieux at Lawyers, Guns, and Money asked a question I'd like to hear Sen. McCain comment on:
"Did John McCain strenuously object when Scott Roeder was read his Miranda rights? If not, I wonder what criteria McCain is using to determine which American terrorists are entitled to their constitutional rights and which aren't?"
The Arizona Senator didn't stop there, however. He's already assessed the death penalty--despite not knowing the charges:
"There's probably about 350 different charges he's guilty of -- attempted acts of terror against the United States, attempted murder," said McCain, cautioning that he's not privy to the charges with which Shahzad might be charged. "I'm sure there's a significant number to warrant the death penalty."
Rep, Peter King (R-NY) also checked in on the issue of Miranda rights for Shahzad:
"I hope that [Attorney General Eric] Holder did discuss this with the intelligence community. If they believe they got enough from him, how much more should they get? Did they Mirandize him? I know he's an American citizen but still," King said."
I can only imagine what King was thinking as he left that sentence hanging.
But the award for the most extreme, knee-jerk (emphasis on jerk) reaction comes from Joe Lieberman. He proposes taking away the citizenship of those who are "affiliated" (whatever that means) with foreign terrorist organizations when they are "apprehended and charged."
Our own Senator finds that "interesting":
"Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the head of of the GOP's Senate campaign arm, is open to Lieberman's idea. "I'm interested in Senator Lieberman's approach. He is one of our leading members when it comes to national security issues and I would be interested in exploring that. I think at some point an act of war is a treasonous act, which could be a basis for relinquishing one's citizenship," he said."
I propose that we take away the citizenship of those who advocate that we take away the citizenship of others. I think that might solve the problem.
Well you know what they say, Des. Even a 3-legged dog gets a rabbit now & then. ;-)
You know what we are dealing with here don't ya?
The leftover genetic remnants of the criminals Brittan sent over in the 1700s...
Where are my smelling salts???
i cant say im shocked when the "champions" for psuedo liberty trip over the constitution yet again.....
an interesting read on why people like this are not taken seriously, yet again.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100423/cm_csm/296410#mwpphu-container
Do you get yours to your email?
As I said on Kelly's blog....damn Constitution..ALWAYS getting in the way of the republicans. Should they ever regain the presidency, we should double the guard.
Could I get an idea of the criteria for comment approval. Why do some go up quickly and others stay pending for an hour or more?
Beck has me puzzled. Is he deviating from the "Republican Manifesto"???
McCain and Lieberman, both have stayed at the party WAY too long. Some people stay mentally sharp well into their 80's. These two old farts are NOT mebers of that club. Bitter old men who think they still have something to say.
One question, did they want to take away their citizenship, and the rights so attached, before or after the trial. Silly me, I already know the answer to that question.
Funny how Glenn Beck was all for the Patriot Act. The single biggest attack on our civil liberties in 200 years. But now, he is all for the Constitution. Wouldn't have anything to do with him pull out the Constitution lately to support his neoconservative views, would it?
Just imagine if McCain was elected. My God it would have been WW3. Too believe at one point I considered him a moderate, and someone who could have possibility gotten my vote. I shiver just thinking about it.
Trust me, one of the right-wingers goals is be able to easily revoke yours and mine's citizenship with ease. They are so eager to get people who disagree with their radical views outside the law, they can taste it. There they can do anything they want to you.
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then.
Pass the popcorn, please. I want to see how long it takes before those wingnuts start claiming that "of course, Glenn Beck is just a RINO".
I never thought I would see the words "voice of reason" as applied to Glenn Beck. Or as I like to call him, Glenn Bleech.
don't feel bad desp...if you spend all yoru time talking, probability says that you will eventually say something right.
The posibility of Mr. McCains mental decline due to age was one of the reasons many did not vote for him during the last election. I have to question his judgement.
Mr. Beck is correct. As an American citizen he is afforded all rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution.
Lieberman and McCain were once voices of reason that seem to have gone off the deep end.
Is it legal to denaturalize a citizen if the original act of naturalization was found to be based on fraud? This guy (Shahzad) lied when he took the oath of allegiance to the United States of America.