Andrew Reimer
PANDA Ohio
 
 
Why did we fight King George the Third and rebel against the red coats? Because our liberty was being infringed on more than ever, our people known as the “rabble in arms” were detained indefinitely for their disobedience to the King's unjust laws.
 
What we once rebelled against is occurring in our own country right before our very eyes. What if I told you at this moment the military can kick down your door and arrest you with no charge, and you don’t have a right to a trial with a jury of your peers, you don’t have a right to a lawyer, you don’t have a right to a phone call. It puts us under military law meaning we have no rights. Let’s say you are accused of a crime, whatever it may be but you know you are innocent, guess what you can’t even plea your innocence, so how can anyone know if you truly did it or not? Anyone can say you did something and just detain you? What happened to innocent until proven guilty? 
 
This is a direct violation of our Constitutional rights. As we look to the youth, our children our grandchildren, nephew’s nieces, what country are we handing them? To think they could be detained indefinitely without committing a crime just seems to me that our liberty has been lost. You see government does not grant us our Bill of Rights, it is in fact given to us by our creator, and it can’t be stripped away unless we as people accept what government laws enforce on us.
 
We are a very unique country to be founded on Liberty, as Patrick Henry once said we have a Constitution and it’s not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government. If we wish to maintain our rights, we must take action we must look back on what history has once taught us. We must fully understand what our oaths to the Constitution mean. If we don’t I fear the day to come when we live under complete tyranny. 
 
I would like to quote some passages from the Declaration of Independence the following reads, “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.”” He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.” “For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.” For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.” “For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences.”
 
It is morally wrong to infringe on ones liberty, which the NDAA directly does it includes kidnapping and treason. I personally can’t go up to my neighbor’s house and detain them because I think they may be up to something or I don’t agree with them, that is kidnapping, so can it be justified that the Federal Government has the power to do so? If all men are created equal as the Declaration of Independence says then how can one man or women detain another indefinitely without showing proof of the crime committed?
 
It’s the principle that is wrong and once established it’s a dangerous line we tamper with. When we begin to shift such power to the federal government how far will it go? Imagine an America with no Bill of Rights, now imagine your children growing up in such a country, if we are to remain free, this is where it starts. It’s time to once again become free men and women may our creator guide us with his strength.