Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Concentration Camps – In America?

I came across this video the other day on YouTube, although a long and old video – it’s quite interesting.



Now I for one don’t buy it. If you’re a law-abiding citizen, I in no way see any reason for you to have concern or worries. The government is not going to round you up over-night only to throw you in jail under martial law.

So what are these facilities for? A few years back, Slick Willy was asked about concentration camps in America, he replied like any good politician - by spinning the answer so far around that you almost believe what you had just heard... even though you have no idea what he had just said.



So with good old Bill not supplying us with any straight answers, what does everyone else think?

Here’s what the folks over at freedomfiles.org had to say:

What is the Federal Emergency Management Agency? Simply put, it is the "secret government". This agency has powers and authority that go well beyond any other agency in the nation. What can FEMA do? It can suspend laws. It can move entire populations. It can arrest and detain citizens without a warrant and can hold them without a trial. It can seize property, food supplies, and transportation systems. And it can even suspend the Constitution of the United States.

When the first concept had been presented, its original mission was to assure the survivability of the United States Government in the event of a nuclear attack. It's secondary function was to be a Federal coordinating body during times of domestic disasters. These disasters consisted of earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes.

The "secret" black helicopters that are reported throughout the US, mainly in the West California, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado areas are flown by FEMA personnel. It has been given the responsibility for many new national disasters such as forest fires, home heating emergencies, refugee situations, riots, and emergency planning for nuclear and toxic incidents. It works together with the Sixth Army in the West.

A series of Executive Orders (EO) was used to create FEMA. It does not matter whether an EO is Constitutional or not, it becomes a law simply by being published in the Federal Registry. These orders go around Congress.

Now I’ll state my opinion again that I in no way think the governments going to round us all up, but it does give you something to think about. Does the President of the United States have too much power at his disposal? An article over at infowars.com had this to say:

If the Bush administration ever felt desperate enough politically, could it or would it ever arbitrarily declare martial law? A yes answer might not be so far out there, and it would arguably be legal, thanks to a rider inserted in the 2007 Defense Authorization Act.

Defense Authorization Acts are passed every fiscal year to authorize appropriations for the Department of Defense. When the 2007 draft was written, amendments were made to the “Insurrection Act,” a bill passed in 1807 to give the president power to deploy troops in the event of an insurrection or rebellion. The main changes made to the Insurrection Act were primarily in §333. The Defense Authorization Act of 2007 summarized the changes as follows:

[(Sec. 1076) Revises federal provisions allowing the President to utilize the Armed Forces in connection with interference with federal and state law to allow the President to employ the Armed Forces and National Guard in federal service to restore public order in cases of natural disaster, epidemic or other public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or domestic violence. Requires the President to notify Congress within 14 days of the exercise of such authority. Authorizes the President, when exercising such authority, to direct the Secretary to provide supplies, services, and equipment to persons affected by the situation.]

So in short, where the original Insurrection Act only permitted the declaration of martial law in the face of a rebellion, the new changes allow the president to declare martial law for virtually anything deemed an emergency.

Also alarming was a phrase added to §334 of the new Insurrection Act.

[Whenever the President considers it necessary to use the militia or the armed forces under this chapter, he shall, by proclamation, immediately order the insurgents or those obstructing the enforcement of the laws to disperse and retire peaceably to their abodes within a limited time.]

“Those obstructing the enforcement of the laws” could of course potentially be interpreted to apply to anyone the administration saw as an obstruction to its policies i.e. peaceably demonstrating activists, opposition political leaders, etc.

So I’ve stated my opinion that I highly, highly, highly doubt any of this is going to happen. I’ve linked a few articles that represent their thoughts and worries. Now I want to know your opinion –

Are we in trouble? Are these so-called FEMA Concentration Camps meant to suppress and jail the American People? Is Martial Law coming to a theatre near your?

Talkback and let’s hear what you have to say.

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