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Bell Ringer. Name as many things as you can think of that DO NOT make you "Proud to be an American".
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Bell Ringer • Name as many things as you can think of that DO NOT make you "Proud to be an American". • Think about decisions our country has made in history and in current laws. Include foreign policy, national decisions and local government. Use things that directly impact you or your family. • For each one, describe WHY you feel that way.
December 7, 1941 September 11, 2001
Patriot Act • Full title: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 • The Patriot Act basically extends the government's foreign intelligence surveillance powers over potential "domestic" terrorists, including American citizens.
Patriot Act • Federal agents may conduct surveillance and searches against U.S. citizens without "probable cause" to suspect criminal activity. The targeted person is not notified and cannot challenge the action. • Agents can conduct "sneak-and-peek" searches without prior notice in common domestic crime investigations. Before the Patriot Act, courts required law enforcement to "knock and announce" themselves before conducting searches. • Government agents now have access to any person's business or personal records. These include library records, book-buying habits, medical, marital counseling or psychiatric files, business records, Internet habits, and credit reports. • The government no longer has to give notice, obtain a warrant or a subpoena, or show probable cause that a crime has been committed. Persons turning over personal data to the government (such as librarians, co-workers or neighbors) are prohibited, under threat of federal criminal prosecution, from telling anyone they did so.
Facts • Established in 2002 • Bush Administration • In wake of 9/11 • Previously a USA naval base on leased land from Cuba • Used to hold detainees believed to be connected with the War in Afghanistan/War in Iraq • Divided into three camps: Delta (& Justice), Iguana, X-Ray • First 20 captives arrived January 11, 2002
The Facts • Because Guantanamo Bay is considered outside US jurisdiction, they were not allowed any of the protections of the U.S. Constitution or the Geneva Conventions. • Geneva Conventions: protections of wartime victims and prisoners agreed on after WWII aiming to eliminate the torture and unfair practices they just saw by Nazis. • Held without access to lawyers or U.S. courts and tried by military tribunals rather than a court of law (violating due process and writ of habeas corpus – not US soil) • 2004: Rasul v. Bush – non U.S. citizens can exercise right of habeas corpus by application at Guantanamo
More facts • 2004: Hamdi v. Rumsfeld – detainees who are U.S. citizens must have ability to challenge their “enemy combatant” status before an impartial judge • 2006: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld – detainees are entitled to minimal protections by Geneva Conventions • 2008: Boumediene v. Bush – all suspects have constitutional rights to challenge their detention in United States courts • 2008: Barack Obama promises to close Guantanamo Bay if elected • 2009: Obama signs an executive order to close Guantanamo Bay but is blocked by Congress • 171 detainees still there today
Christopher Arendt, ex-Guantanamo guard • Joined United States Army National Guard at age 17 in 2001 • Claims to have joined because his family was displaced, he was living with friends, he was poor and he had “no other options”. • Got orders in October of 2003, at age 19, that he would be deploying to Guantanamo Bay. • After taking care of prisoners there, he is now speaking out in public hearings and testimonies to what he did there against human rights.
MoazzamBegg, ex-Guantanamo detainee • A British Pakistani Muslim, held in Guantanamo for almost three years • Claims from US government: an enemy combatant and al-Qaeda member, recruited others for al-Qaeda, provided money and support to al-Qaeda training camps, received extensive military training in al-Qaeda-run terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, and prepared to fight U.S. or allied troops. • Defense by Begg: Admitted to spending time at two Islamic militant training camps in Afghanistan, supporting militant Muslim fighters, buying a rifle and a handgun, “thought about” taking up arms in Chechnya, and being an acquaintance to others linked to terrorism.
December 7, 1941 September 11, 2001 • World Trade Center • War in Afghanistan/Iraq • Middle Eastern Americans • Guantanamo Bay • 779 people • Pearl Harbor • World War II • Japanese Americans • Internment Camps • 120,000 people “THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT” – George Santayana