21 April 2013
Prague, Czech Republic
By Thomas Secrest
I often lament that the dream that was American
democracy is dying such a terrible, untimely death. I’m not sure how many of
you will remember this scene from the Gladiator, but I can hope that it made a
similar impression on you. If you have forgotten the scene, it is certainly
worth dusting off the old DVD and firing up the DVD player. The scene took
place early in the film while they legions were in Germany fighting the
Germanic tribes. The battle was over and the emperor had called Maximus into his
tent to discuss who would rule Rome after his, perhaps imminent, death. During
the discussion he painted a verbal picture of the republic.
There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish... it was so fragile. And I fear that it will not survive the winter.
It was nicely spoken and it is easily imagined to be no less true of the American dream
of democracy and what that dream could have meant for the people of the world.
It reality, the dream of democracy is just as
fragile as the republic described by Marcus Aurelius. In the hands of the ham-fisted, the
dream could be quickly, easily and perhaps irreversibly crushed.
The events of 15 April 2013 will live in memory for
years to come. All worthy members of our species will feel remorse and pain for
the suffering inflicted. Citizens of the Boston area proved themselves just as the
citizens of West, Texas proved themselves a few days later. Humans have always
had considerable strength and determination when it comes to helping others in times
of need or disaster. Certainly it was no less true in these recent tragic
events.
Unfortunately, the worthy efforts of citizens in
Boston were tarnished by those unworthy members of our species. The invasion
and occupation of Boston by America’s new armed para-military units was a disgrace.
These units operate under one of the most repressive pieces of legislation ever
passed in America; the Patriot Act 1 and Patriot Act 2. There was no
justification for Martial Law in Boston. Martial law is the
imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on
an emergency basis. No doubt you may object on the grounds that the
military was not involved. In response to your potential objection I suggest
the following term, ParaMarital Law. ParaMartial Law is the imposition of para-military
rule by para-military authorities over designated regions on an emergency
basis. In this case, para-military means FBI, CIA, Homeland Security Contractors,
Private Military Contractors, National Guard and special and non-special forces
of the US Military in conjunction with local and state police forces acting
under the jurisdiction of the any of the above.
Now if you think Boston wasn’t under ParaMartial
Law, then perhaps you should review the events of the week of April 15, 2013
more carefully.
Regrettably all the profit mongers were quick to react
and fully demonstrate the risk of the new para-military securitization of
American society. Please don’t confuse profit with only money. Certainly money
cannot be excluded but, equally important is political profit and power profit.
The following is a good example of how fast
irrational thinking can be used to further crush the fragile idea we once held
so valuable.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, John McCain and Kelly Ayotte and Rep. Peter King argued against trying Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in a criminal court, instead saying that he should be held as an enemy combatant and questioned. (The above was released to the public as a joint statement.)
What is amazing is that the comments of the senators
come in the same week that an independent commission brutalized the current and
previous administrations for engaging in serious human rights violations of those
held as “enemy combatants.” America is rapidly becoming a rogue nation that
feels that it can make the rules, but it does not have to follow them. The country,
as an entity is now behaving as a full blown schizophrenic; condemning the actions
of one country or group while rationalizing and even praising those exact
same actions when carried out by acting in the name of the U.S.
What the unworthy senators realized, but ignored, is that the Boston bombing suspect IS an American citizen. His citizenship carries the EXACT same rights
and responsibilities as your citizenship or the citizenship of Graham or McCain. As a citizen he
has rights under the U.S. Constitution and those rights are in force whether he is
innocent or guilty. The 5th Amendment exists for a reason. The
threats perceived by the Patriot Act were no less conceivable by those who
wrote the Bill of Rights and yet the 5th Amendment was still added to
the constitution. I believe it was added because the founders fully understood
and had first-hand experience with the abuses that could exist without such an
amendment. I believe they clearly realized that if everyone wasn’t protected in
all circumstances, then no one was protected under any circumstances. Let me
put it to you in a different way. The citizenship you enjoy is exactly the same
as the citizenship the suspect enjoys. There is not a shred of difference. Therefore, whatever they can do to him,
they can do to you.
I add this just as a analogy and I think you will understand my meaning. Consider the possible outcome if Columbo had been put in charge of the bombing instead of the unknown and uncoordinated authorities that ultimately handled or mishandled the situation. I think there is a real possibility that if the case had been handled exclusively by the Boston homicide department, all additional deaths and injuries could have been avoided and our constitution would be in far better condition than it is now.
In conclusion let me suggest a tool by which you
might want to reassess the Patriot Act 1, 2. Consider the counties that have
polices that in many ways mirror the measures found in the Patriot Act. Then
ask yourself, do these countries offer an environment under which the ever so
fragile idea of democracy could flourish. When this most beautiful of social
ideas is gasping its last breath, would we really want to move it to one of the
countries on the list you created?
Here I offer a partial list of countries where I
think the Patriot Act would feel right at home, maybe just a little too much at
home: China, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Egypt, Columbia, Cuba, Mali, DRC, Sudan, Somalia,
Kenya, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq,
and let’s not forget Chechnya.
