When Governments Kill Its Own People

[Marty Redman]

Over this last weekend, the President of the United States signed a death warrant ordering the targeted killing of a United States citizen without trial, a grave violation of the United States Constitution and a chilling precedent of unrestrained executive power.  In January of last year the Obama administration had compiled a hit list of American citizens whom the President had ordered assassinated without any due process, and one of those Americans was Anwar al-Awlaki. No effort was made to indict him for any crimes. 

 

After several unsuccessful efforts to assassinate its own citizen, the U.S. succeeded.  It almost certainly was able to find and kill Awlaki with the help of its long-time close friend President Saleh, who took a little time off from murdering his own to help the U.S. murder its own.  The U.S. thus transformed someone who was, at best, a marginal figure into a martyr.

 

The U.S. Constitution in the Fifth Amendment appended in the Bill of Rights says: 

 

Back in the time of the founding fathers, there was a discussion on this topic concerning the execution of a known terrorist of the time, Josiah Smith. 

 

VA Governor Edmond Randolph rose and stated his opinion of Patrick Henry's pursuit of this bad guy and was against such events to ever happen again:  "There is one example of this violation in Virginia, of a most striking and shocking nature — an example so horrid, that, if I conceived my country would passively permit a repetition of it, dear as it is to me, I would seek means of expatriating myself from it. A man, who was then a citizen, was deprived of his life thus: from a mere reliance on general reports, a gentleman in the House of Delegates informed the house, that a certain man (Josiah Philips) had committed several crimes, and was running at large, perpetrating other crimes. He therefore moved for leave to attain him; he obtained that leave instantly; no sooner did he obtain it, than he drew from his pocket a bill ready written for that effect; it was read three times in one day, and carried to the Senate. I will not say that it passed the same day through the Senate; but he was attained very speedily and precipitately, without any proof better than vague reports. Without being confronted with his accusers and witnesses, without the privilege of calling for evidence in his behalf, he was sentenced to death, and was afterwards actually executed. Was this arbitrary deprivation of life, the dearest gift of God to man, consistent with the genius of a republican government?

Is this compatible with the spirit of freedom? This, sir, has made the deepest impression on my heart, and I cannot contemplate it without horror. There are still a multiplicity of complaints of the debility of the laws. Justice, in many instances, is so unattainable that commerce may, in fact, be said to be stopped entirely. There is no peace, sir, in this land. Can peace exist with injustice, licentiousness, insecurity, and oppression? These considerations, independent of many others which I have not yet enumerated, would be a sufficient reason for the adoption of this Constitution, because it secures the liberty of the citizen, his person and property, and will invigorate and restore commerce and industry. An additional reason to induce us to adopt it is that excessive licentiousness which has resulted from the relaxation of our laws, and which will be checked by this government. Let us judge from the fate of more ancient nations: licentiousness has produced tyranny among many of them: it has contributed as much (if not more) as any other cause whatsoever to the loss of their liberties. I have respect for the integrity of our legislatures; I believe them to be virtuous; but as long as the defects of the Constitution exist, so long will laws be imperfect."

 

Mr. Madison then rose to respond to Randolph, note his devotion to due process and execution of laws. See if it sounds like Madison is a fan of our current drone assassinations of American Citizens and bear in mind that Madison wants this system - The Constitution - to prevent these injuries to liberty.


"(Mr. Henry.) He told us that this Constitution ought to be rejected because it endangered the public liberty, in his opinion, in many instances. Give me leave to make one answer to that observation: Let the dangers which this system is supposed to be replete with be clearly pointed out: if any dangerous and unnecessary powers be given to the general legislature, let them be plainly demonstrated; and let us not rest satisfied with general assertions of danger, without examination. If powers be necessary, apparent danger is not a sufficient reason against conceding them. He has suggested that licentiousness has seldom produced the loss of liberty; but that the tyranny of rulers has almost always effected it. Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations; but, on a candid examination of history, we shall find that turbulence, violence, and abuse of power, by the majority trampling on the rights of the minority, have produced factions and commotions, which, in republics, have, more frequently than any other cause, produced despotism. If we go over the whole history of ancient and modern republics, we shall find their destruction to have generally resulted from those causes. If we consider the peculiar situation of the United States, and what are the sources of that diversity of sentiment which pervades its inhabitants, we shall find great danger to fear that the same causes may terminate here in the same fatal effects which they produced in those republics. This danger ought to be wisely guarded against. Perhaps, in the progress of this discussion, it will appear that the only possible remedy for those evils, and means of preserving and protecting the principles of republicanism, will be found in that very system which is now exclaimed against as the parent of oppression."

 

Witness Patrick Henry's response to Randolph and Madison. Henry is arguing against ratification and defends the Obama-style execution for crimes against humanity.

"The honorable member has given you an elaborate account of what he judges tyrannical legislation, and an ex post facto law, (in the case of Josiah Philips.) He has misrepresented the facts. That man was not executed by a tyrannical stroke of power. Nor was he a Socrates. He was a fugitive murderer and an outlaw — a man who commanded an infamous banditti, and at a time when the war was at the most perilous stage. He committed the most cruel and shocking barbarities. He was an enemy to the human name. Those who declare war against the human race may be struck out of existence as soon as they are apprehended. He was not executed according to those beautiful legal ceremonies which are pointed out by the laws in criminal cases. The enormity of his crimes did not entitle him to it. I am truly a friend to legal forms and methods; but, sir, the occasion warranted the measure. A pirate, an outlaw, or a common enemy to all mankind, may be put to death at any time. It is justified by the laws of nature and nations."

 

Do you think it is OK for our President to order assassinations of US citizens like they have done for Alawi?

[Dave]

It's a slippery slope that Obama is treading on here with the decision.... if he's not careful, these type of actions will bite him in the butt next Nov.

[Sweater Cows!]

His butt is already bitten

[Eve Alone]

Its good that John Shay doesn't have one of those drones around. 

XLFD and I would be the object of his quoting Mr. Henry: 

"They committed the most cruel and shocking barbarities. They were an enemy to the human name. Those who declare war against the human race may be struck out of existence as soon as they are apprehended. They were not executed according to those beautiful legal ceremonies which are pointed out by the laws in criminal cases. The enormity of their crimes did not entitle them to it. I am truly a friend to legal forms and methods; but, sir, the occasion warranted the measure. Pirates,  outlaws, or a common enemy to all mankind, may be put to death at any time. It is justified by the laws of nature, nations, (and cities).  Those who would dare ask for records of this City, which I think is ran cleanly, efficiently and openly by me, must be treated so!"

[XLFD]

Good article, Marty; are you sure you're not Max?  He always had some fine historical perspectives that made good points presented here, but he's been inactive lately. 

This is a bad precedent, when our government can slay one of our own citizens without due process or other freedoms afforded to us as American citizens.  And you made a similar point as Eve in your message to me, suggesting the Letter of Trespass may be City Hall's precursor to its own predatory drone attack. 

[Marty Redman]

I'm not Max, but I checked out some of his old posts.  Thanks for a compliment.

Like many, I waver between which Republican is best.  I'd like any better than what we have, but the one that has been growing on me is Ron Paul because he's policy where others are glitz.  Hes the only one to come out against this strongly as I'd hope any thinking person would.  Here's Michael Savage who had the same revelation in his own words:

[Willy]

I guess Obama can be considered the top 00 agent now. How about " Agent Obama - 00666".

[Willy]

Between the time Reagan left office and Obama took over, our country has changed drastically. Will the ignorant citizens of the U.S. continue to vote in incompetent communist thinking socialists who are taking our Country on a road we may never get back from. This video may be revealing our future.

[XLFD]

Interesting video, Willy, it may very well indeed.