January 23, 2012
Wilfredo Amr Ruiz,
Muslim Chaplain, Attorney and Political Analyst
While America honors the legacy of civil rights color-bearer Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., it is ironic that President Obama betrays his memory. In the midst of the 2011 New Year’s Eve celebration, President Obama endorsed the ominous National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) belying epic national fights, struggles and discourses for equality, civil rights and liberties carried out by patriots including King and Malcom X, and centuries of untold heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to pave the way for the nation to execute the historic event of electing the first black president: Barack Obama. These circumstances render it absurd that this same President has signed a contradictory and tyrannical law endorsing a worldwide indefinite detention provision. Such a provision does not exempt American citizens from indefinite military detention people without charge or trial. In other words, under this law, not only can any citizen deemed a threat to national security interests be held forever without trial, but the military, not civilian law enforcement, will be arresting those citizens.
