Letter to Obama - Indefinite Detention

President Obama,

I supported your election. But I do not support any attempt by your administration, or any other administration, to create a system of indefinite detention without trial.

I understand the difficulties of doing the right thing. I understand that there is frequently a big difference between what the government knows, or thinks it knows, and what the government can prove in court. I know that some of the people you want to detain are dangerous and want to kill Americans. I know that the Bush administration botched things up royally by torturing these people.

I also know that you face ruthless political enemies that will describe your adherence to the constitution as "giving in to the terrorists." I know that if anyone released from American detention for a lack of admissible evidence ever participated in a terrorist attack, you would be viciously attacked and blamed.

However, knowing all that, I also know that creating a system of indefinite detention would fundamentally alter the nature of our democracy. It would be an admission to the world that we do not believe in due process and are willing to dispense with it whenever people threaten or scare us.

It would be a statement that we are willing to give our executive tyrannical powers whenever we are scared.

Isn't that what the terrorists are trying to do? Scare us into destroying our nation?

As much as I agree with you about other policies, if your administration attempts to create, or creates, a program of indefinite detention without trial, you will lose my support forever. I will do everything within my power to see you defeated in the next election.

Sincerely,

Joe Huster