Beware of fascist politics
By Ricky Alexander
The death of our democracy is upon us. The United States of America could be more aptly described today as the Fascist States of America.
While these claims may sound severe, the horrendous actions our country is taking in our name are even more so. A thorough historical analogy will reveal that the United States is slipping away from any semblance of democracy and moving toward fascist and autocratic rule.
So what did our country do to receive this terrible condemnation? On Sept. 28, in a whirlwind of political grandstanding before the November elections, the US Senate passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006. This bill, sure to be signed into law by President Bush, will suspend the right of habeas corpus in the United States.
Habeas corpus, literally translates from Latin to "you have the body," is the right of an accused person to try to prove their innocence in court. According to former New York Times columnist Molly Ivins, "The bill simply removes a suspect's right to challenge his detention in court."
Our entire judicial system -- the very foundation of our democracy -- is based on the right to liberty. Before this bill was set forward, we, as Americans, could be proud that our country believed that all human beings are innocent until proven guilty. Now the accused are guilty until proven innocent.
This despicable policy shatters the bedrock principles of enlightened civilizations dating back almost eight centuries. Written in 1215, The Magna Carta established the basic judicial rights of due process and habeas corpus. Even during the Middle Ages, accused persons had the right to defend themselves in court.
Under the new law, however, the federal government can declare anyone, even American citizens, unlawful enemy combatants. Once someone is labeled an enemy combatant, he or she can be thrown in jail without being charged with a crime and can be denied habeas corpus rights. If searching our library records, eavesdropping on our phone calls, torturing Abu Ghraib prisoners, then taking away our most fundamental judicial rights makes this country a democracy, I'd sure love to know what fascism looks like.
I am the grandson of Holocaust survivors. I have extremely painful memories of my grandparents' stories of how millions of Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped persons, and numerous other innocent civilians were tortured, killed and burned. I will never forget the horrors my family has endured, and I will always say and do everything in my power to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.
To this end, I believe it is more important than ever to remember that Adolf Hitler slowly chipped away at civil liberties in Germany for years before he started World War II and prosecuted a massive genocide. Like President Bush, he sought legal approval for his fascist policies and unfortunately, he was successful.
After the Nazis blamed the Feb. 27, 1933, fire at the Reichstag on communist terrorists, a terrible fear gripped Germany and the legislature caved into Hitler's dictatorial demands. In a flurry of paranoid panic and hyper-nationalistic pride, the German legislature passed the 1933 Enabling Act. This law freed Hitler of all legislative and constitutional restraints. The Nazis then implemented a protective custody which enabled them to arrest and incarcerate people without charging them with a crime.
The fear that induced the German legislature to pass such heinous laws is virtually identical to the fear that induced the American legislature to pass similar laws. Sept. 11, 2001, was our Reichstag fire. It generated enough fear that our Congress has been willing to eliminate our civil liberties for the sake of security. Well, how secure do you feel now that the government can detain you indefinitely without charges?
Although our democracy is in limbo and fascism is on the march, there is hope. We can still use our First Amendment rights to express our outrage and change the disastrous course this country is on track to follow. I encourage you to use your rights to help make this country a land where "liberty and justice for all" actually means something.
Ricky Alexander is an undeclared sophomore.