"Aid & Comfort To The Enemy"

[rucky]

I keep hearing that phrase pop up more and more, and it's not just one of those mindless right-wing buzz phrases. It's a legal definition & a flat-out accusation of treason. I assume that the legal term is intended to apply to people like John Walker - who actually went to Afghanistan to fight with the taliban... but they've used that phrase to describe Sens. Byrd & Kennedy - on the freakin' Senate floor. The media whores use it to talk about Liberals & Democrats regularly. They're easing language like this into their speech & it's no accident.

When people say that a 2nd Bush term will be like Nazi Germany or McCarthyism, I've taken it with a grain of salt, but when I hear terminology like this it scares the crap out of me. Combine that with the Activist judges packed in the courts and it's very realistic that opponents of Bush could be seen as "traitors" in our courts.

What is to keep Ashcroft & Co. from searching our posts right here at DU & finding something that they may deem as giving "aid & comfort to the enemy".

Here's the legal definition of treason. It's punsihable by death:

http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/t103.htm

TREASON - This word imports a betraying, treachery, or breach of allegiance.

The Constitution of the United States, Art. III, defines treason against the United States to consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort. This offence is punished with death. By the same article of the Constitution, no person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

-----------------------------------


How vague is that? All you need is two witnesses. Everything we say here is potentially "witnessed" by hundreds. Is anybody else afraid that the things they say here may come back to haunt them? I don't regret anything I've said, but man... we need to get these freaks out of power.

[DustMolecule]

1. n/t

:puke:

[freetobegay]

2. Ditto!

eom

[shockingelk]

3. If saying this national government

... is the WORST EVER and nearly EVERY decision out of the WH works to make America weaker, broker and more hated ... bring on the treason charges!

[dweller]

8. i'll back shockingelk, now go find 2

in the meantime, i'll sleep the sleep of the dead.

not worried,
dp

[unblock]

4. censure the republicans

people who accuse other of virtual, or actual, treason simply for expressing an opposing view are playing one of the more disgusting cards in partisan politics.

these republicans are in serious need of censure. they need to be publicly humiliated for failing in their public duty to advance the causes set forth by the founders, and spirited debate regarding the course of the government is one of our national treasures.

president kerry should have a weekly award and a weekly censure given out, the latter being a version of the top 10 conservative idiots....

[DustMolecule]

5. Treason is only for the 'little people', eh?

...not the people who start illegal/unjustified war under TOTALLY FALSE PRETENSES!!! Sorry, didn't work....go slink back to the w(hore house ....vermin!

[The Traveler]

7. And it is OK if you are one of the "right people" to

out CIA operatives working under deep cover to track weapons of mass destruction.

They're wieners, pure and simple.

[The Traveler]

6. Yeah ... look out

It is doubtful that interpretation of the law by the Bushista regime is likely to line up with the original intent. The interpret the constitution and the law to suit their convenience. Witness the case of Rush Limbaugh, who suddenly needs (and therefore sees) a right to privacy.

[Warpy]

9. "Aid and comfort"

...really need to be identified and defined. After all, political speech, especially unpopular political speech, is protected. Talk is cheap, in other words, and "aid and comfort" must apply to something else, prefereably tangible support given to an enemy in terms of arms, information about military plans and movements, or perhaps a ready supply of new fighters.

Dumbya's war on Iraq certainly accomplished the latter for Al Qaeda, and he's got a lot of ready witnesses for that.

[kiahzero]

10. Don't worry

You know why Lindh wasn't charged with treason? Because they couldn't make it stick. They couldn't make it stick to a man that took up arms for the Taliban.

You're fine.