Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
U.S. Internment
Since 911, many United Citizens have suffered under the new policies implemented by the government as part of its "war on terrorism." In addition, several more Americans have spoken out against injustice of this kind. These citizens argue that detaining and otherwise harassing citizens on the ground of suspicion as a result of no more but their ethnic heritage is against everything that the United States has come to represent both nationally and internationally. The United States has always prided itself upon its constitution and the fact that it provides all citizens, regardless of any distinguishing individual factors, with equal opportunities for peaceful and gainful living.
Recently, however, this has not been the case, as proved by the action against Al Odah, Rasul and Hamdi. These three persons have been detained indefinitely, without any evidence against them apart from the fact that they were of a certain ethnic heritage. They were not given the opportunity to defend themselves or to obtain counsel, in direct opposition to the constitution that provides these rights.
Interestingly, 9/11 is not the only war during which such violations of rights occurred on the grounds of national or ethnic origin. During World War II, the same fate befell Fred Korematsu, a young Japanese man who violated a law against his presence in California. While he was at least provided with the right to contest his internment, the above-mentioned three persons were not. Indeed, they were not even provided with the right to see their families.
No war justifies such blatant disregard for basic human rights. Indeed, the war is not helped by detaining innocent people while the guilty are free to continue their destructive practices, because no investigation is made into determining the guilt or innocence of detainees. Such practices damage not only the international reputation of the country, but also the faith of its citizens on a domestic scale.
Sources.
Findlaw.com. Brief of Amicus Curiae Fred Korematsu in support of petitioners. http://supreme.lp.findlaw.com/supreme_court/briefs/03-334/03-334.pet.ami.korematsu.pdf
Tuoro Law Center. (1995-2008). Korematsu v. United States, Decided December 18, 1944. http://tourolaw.edu/patch/Korematsu
However, during war it becomes all too easy to look for convenient ways to disregard even the most important laws. The first, and most dramatic, effect of war is to increase the general fearfulness of a population. Fear and anxiety rocket way up during wartime, and are fueled by all the myriad effects of such conflicts. But another, less-well-understood reaction to war on the part of a both the individual
The bill before me takes into account of the new realities and dangers posed by modern terrorists. It will help law enforcement to indentify, to dismantle, to disrupt and to punish terrorist before they strike." (Marcovitz, 2008) This is significant because it allows for the effective tracking of suspected terrorists activities. As a result, the overall quality and amount of intelligence gathered will allow law enforcement to determine what
Finally, torture is the best means to try to get this information from the suspect (McCoy, 2006). Taken as a whole, these circumstances are so unlikely to occur that, even if the ticking bomb scenario would justify the use of torture, it has not ever occurred and, therefore, cannot be used to justify torture. In fact, what many people who advocate in favor of torture fail to acknowledge is that