Trying 9/11 conspirators in Guantanamo Bay is unconstitutional

This week President Obama, like all politicians, went back on his word.

Obama campaigned under the platform that he would shut down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and transport all prisoners back to the United States for a proper trial by jury.

For those who don’t know, Guantanamo Bay is limbo, purgatory, a no man’s land for suspected terrorists, including those suspected of helping plan the 9/11 attacks. The Bill of Rights doesn’t apply in Cuba, so theoretically we can hold prisoners there indefinitely without trial.

News broke this week that several of those suspected of planning 9/11 who were set to go on trial in civilian court in New York will now face trial in a U.S. military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay.

Obama, like many others before him, set aside his principles in favor of appeasing the public.

At first, the people of New York wanted the suspected terrorists to be tried there. It would provide closure for those who lost family members and friends in the 9/11 attack a decade ago. However, public opinion soon changed.

People became fearful. They began to wonder if having this trial in New York would instigate another terrorist attack and start the 10-year cycle of arrest and imprisonment all over again. Also, many people didn’t want to spend taxpayer money transporting suspected terrorists to the United States for a lengthy and expensive trial.

The question I pose to you is: How much is American dignity worth? We already owe China more money than we could ever pay back. What’s a few more hundreds of thousands?

The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States calls for all criminal trials to be speedy and to occur in the district of where the crime had been committed. Last time I checked, 10 years is far from speedy and the World Trade Center is a long way from G-Bay.

I realize that the majority of you will disagree with me, and that’s okay, because deep down you know I’m right. Temporarily set aside your hatred and read on.

If we do not try these men in civilian court in Manhattan, the Constitution will mean nothing. Why have a Constitution that guarantees everyone from petty thieves to even the most heinous of criminals the right to a trial by jury if all we are going to do is ignore it when we are blinded by hate?

These men take pride in killing innocent men, women and children. They are nothing, the scum of the Earth, and they will probably end up in Hell. And if you don’t believe in Hell, then they’ll hopefully be reincarnated into a horse turd or similarly pathetic.

Ignore the cost, ignore the safety issues (we have smart people protecting us), and realize that we have a responsibility to set an example to the rest of the world. Let’s show them that no matter how heinous of a crime someone may commit on American soil, we will stick to our principles and give them the same rights that all of us take for granted everyday.

But before they go to Hell, bring them to Manhattan.

PARKER CRAMER

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Contact Parker Cramer at pcramer@lsureveille.com