In 1215 the Magna Carta was introduced which provided a number of groundbreaking (for that time) provisions. One was the concept of "due process" for every person brought before a court in a legal action. Later, the writ of habeas corpus was introduced in 1305 by King Edward I. It became part of the English Common Law and was eventually inherited into the US legal system.

Yesterday, both houses of Congress voted to approve a measure that:

* Allows Pres. Bush to determine who is a "enemy combatant".
* Allows Pres. Bush to determine what is & isn't torture.
* Redefines Article 3 of the Geneva Convention, retroactively.
* Denies enemy combatants habeas corpus protections.

In one day the Republicans with help from a very few Democrats, disolved 701 years worth of legal protections. This was done against the public admonisments of the various members of the service's JAGs, Collin Powell, and many others.

Today I am ashamed that this has happened with so little opposition. I am sad for our country. The US has always been the "shining light" on the hill for civil liberties. Our place on that hill was an intragal part of our security. We are now walking down the path of dictators (or should that be "deciders"?) and will be far less secure than any time in our past.

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjimann Franklin