Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

September 18, 2012

When he affixed his signature to the National Defense Authorization Act last December, Barack Obama issued a signing statement declaring that he would not make use of a provision permitting the indefinite detention ofU.S.citizens in military custody.

In response to a lawsuit filed by a group of American journalists and political activists, U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest issued a permanent injunction against the measure. As enacted, it would allow the president to consign an American citizen to open-ended military detention for providing undefined ?support? for terrorist groups. This provision could apply not only to those who offer material aid to identified terrorists, but also to those who sympathize with the stated grievances that motivate such groups.

This would permit the government to lock people away indefinitely for expressing objectionable political views. As Judge Forrest wrote, there is no legal or constitutional basis ?to justify the concept of ?support? as a valid ground for detention.?

The Obama administration immediately filed an appeal, insisting that restricting the president?s arbitrary powers would subject him to ?irreparable harm.? A federal appeals judge ruled in favor of the administration. Thus the president retains the power to imprison, torture, or murder people at whim.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.