War is brutal, obviously. The goal of war is simple: kill and destroy every aspect of your enemy until your enemy must either surrender or until there is nothing left of your enemy. That is the harsh reality of the battlefield. President Bush and John Ashcroft, however, have declared that U.S. soil is now part of that battlefield, that combat rules apply here and that those rules supercede Constitutional restraints on the government. Bush and Ashcroft have been fighting in court for the right to declare anyone an "enemy combatant", even United States citizens living in America, and nullify their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution. Keep in mind that Bush and Ashcroft want this power to strip U.S. citizen "enemy combatant" suspects who are in the United States of their Constitutional rights even if there are no formal charges filed or convictions obtained. Ashcroft defended this strategy as necessary to protecting freedom on his Larry King Live appearance.
The Constitutional freedoms that American citizens are entitled to do not apply on foreign battlefields, not do I want to see them applied there. Here in America, though, these rights must be respected for all U.S. citizens and for all immigrants who are here legally and permanently. Bush and Ashcroft want the right to declare your rights and freedoms null and void just by an accusation that you are an "enemy combatant", as in the case of a 31-year-old Chicago man who is an American citizen. Jose Padilla is accused of being involved with Al Queda and was taken into government custody initially - in America - as a material witness and later detained as an "enemy combatant".
Ashcroft fought in court against Padilla's Sixth Amendment right to consult with and be represented by an attorney, regardless of the fact that Padilla is an American citizen who was on American soil at the time he was detained. Padilla may very well be involved with terrorists, I don't know. the point is: neither does John Ashcroft. Jose Padilla's rights must not be arbitrarily revoked at the discretion of George W. Bush or John Ashcroft.
You may ask why I care about Jose Padilla, a suspected Muslim terrorist. I don't, but I care about the precedent that will be set for my freedom if the government is allowed to remove someone else's rights out of suspicion. The burden of proof is still on the government, and should be. Until Padilla is convicted of being involved with the enemy, he is entitled to the full legal rights that every other American has. This is not about his freedom, this is about your freedom and my freedom.
President George W. Bush has made his beliefs very clear. He has no respect for the Constitution, he has no respect for Americans or for our rights and freedoms. George W. Bush is freedom's most dangerous enemy. He is a man unfit to be President of the United States.
Since there is no hope of Congress living up to its Constitutional duty; impeaching George W. Bush and removing him from office, we must remember his outright assault on our freedom and on the Constitution when the 2004 election arrives. We must make certain that George W. Bush is not reelected President. Your freedom depends on it.