To: President Donald Trump
Rewrite the National Defense Authorization Act to PROTECT American Citizens!
We, the undersigned citizens of the United States of America demand that sections 1021 and 1022 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act be rewritten, in clear, plain language, to PROTECT American citizens, residing both domestically or abroad, from indefinite detention without trial; even if accused of terrorism.
If American citizens are guilty of a crime, let them be charged and tried by a jury of their peers in accordance with the fifth and sixth amendments of the Constitution of the United States.
It is unacceptable that the United States Government would detain a single American citizen, for any reason, and not uphold the Constitution of the United States while doing so. This is garden variety tyranny, and it will not be tolerated by the citizens of the United States of America.
Why is this important?
The United States government has gone way too far this time. It has passed legislation, which Obama failed to veto, that allows American citizens, both domestic and abroad, to be detained indefinitely, without trial, if they are accused (only accused) of being involved in terrorist activity.
The words "terrorist" and "terrorism" have been thrown around far too easily in the past ten years. Regardless of the crime a person is accused of, they have the constitutional right to due process. This is a cornerstone of the freedom our government claims to value.
The NDAA is worded in a manner just vague enough to promote confusion. It gives the government far too much power over the very citizens that define the country as a whole, and it fails to serve or protect the American people.
Indefinite detention without trial of ANYONE, let alone United States Citizens, is obviously unconstitutional and un-American. This activity directly goes against the fifth and sixth amendments of the Constitution of the United States of America.
What could be more unpatriotic than a government stripping basic civil rights from its own citizens? Has due process become too inconvenient for the United States Government?
Please see this link for more information about the indefinite detention of American citizens allowed by the newly passed National Defense Authorization Act:
http://www.salon.com/2011/12/16/three_myths_about_the_detention_bill/