Stripping Citizenship

[talon]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/06/lieberman-unveils-strip-citizenship-terror-suspects-abroad/

I haven't read the actual bill because I haven't found it yet (nor have I yet looked very hard, but I will either tonight or this weekend), but my initial reaction is - No.

Actually, it's a very resounding no.

Why?

First, because I don't believe there are sufficient safeguards in this bill to prevent its abuse. I don't believe any bill could be written well enough to cover all the possible scenarios that would prevent abuse.

Once past that stumbling block, here's another: we already have laws and provisions, some of them in the Constitution itself, to deal with traitors.

Third, stripping a person of citizenship guarantees they'll be an enemy of our country.

The so-called provision that they can challenge the loss of their citizenship in a Federal court of law would only apply to those who are wealthy enough to engage in a probably lengthy court battle. The 1940's law may compel a person to renounce their citizenship, but it doesn't strip it from them so there's time to reflect and reconsider and make an informed choice - all without paying hefty attorney fees and court costs and so on.

This law purportedly wants to strip citizenship from Americans presumed to be affiliated with foreign terrorist groups. That is such Bush-era fear-speak. We need to move past the fear pounded into us by our former Presidential administration and the media, past the McCarthyistic orgyisms, and look to strengthening the laws we already have in place and allocating adequate funds to enforce them properly rather than proposing and possibly passing laws that are stupid.

Yes, I think this bill is very stupid. After I read it, I will probably be vindicated in my feelings.