Justice Still Deferred

Jose Padilla has finally been indicted, on eleven charges stemming from his alleged involvement with al Qaeda. None of the eleven charges have anything to do with the charge for which he's been detained

without charge

without trial

without access to an attorney

for three (3!) godsdamned years.

Think about that for a moment. All this little gangbanger from Chicago and Miami did was talk to people, and he spent three years in a Navy brig in South Carolina. He didn't even see a lawyer until last year.

Think about that people, and realize what danger you and I are in. This government will think nothing of trumping up some kind of stupid bullshit on a citizen, and throw him in the clink without any of the basic rights you or I enjoy. Even people on Death Row have rights.

I expect that he'll be acquitted of his charges, or will spend only a few years in prison (something he's used to, having been in prison before).

And maybe - just maybe - we can try to drag this country back to becoming America once again.