[Azred]

Ok. I'm a little late in joining the discussion...just been a little busy, that's all.

This goes against every principle upon which America was founded. Secret (or not-so-secret) police who can arrest and detain someone for an indefinite period of time for no reason is one reason we broke from England to declare independence.

They are being detained for reasons of National Security? That is balderdash (not to mention statistics, which are worse than damn lies [img]graemlins/beigesmilewinkgrin.gif[/img] )! If these people were so anti-American, so hell-bent on causing death and destruction, so frothing-at-the-mouth rabid to blow up something, they would have done it already. Isn't that obvious? Were I to be a radical terrorist I wouldn't wait, I would do something in an attempt to spread my message and accomplish my goal. I agree that there may be "sleeper agents" who only recruit and train, but the other terrorists will act, and they won't take down more skyscrapers; instead, they will blow up convenience stores and laundromats.

The Patriot Act and the powers given to the Department of Homeland Security have already set the precedent that anyone can be detained. This means even you (if you are in America). If that doesn't scare the **** out of you it should.

I hate to be stereotypical, but I never said I was perfect. This quote is very appropriate:
In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up. --Martin Niemoeller