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Rhode Island legislator rebels against NDAA

Deborah Dupre's photo
Human Rights Examiner

"When I took the oath of office, I swore that I would support the constitutions of Rhode Island and the United States. And before one constituent of mine is snatched up in the dead of night, without due process under our laws, they’ll have to pry those documents from my cold dead hands." - Rep. Daniel Gordon, Rep-RI

On the day that Pullitzer Prize winning human rights defender Chris Hedges filed a lawsuit against Barack Obama for signing the National Defense Authorization Act 2012 into law on Dec. 31, Rep. Daniel P. Gordon (Rep-RI) has jumped into action to lead his state away from dangers of the NDAA. Gordon has drafted a resolution proposing that Rhode Island legislators adopt to exempt citizens in his state from the new law, saying Americans should be "terrified" of what the NDAA allows.

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Rhode Island Rep. Daniel Gordon has drafted a resolution to express his opposition to the NDAA 2012 “that suspended habeas corpus and civil liberties” and to call for the state to declare Rhode Islanders excempt from the federal law.

Section 1021 of the act, signed into law by President Obama on New Year’s Eve, reads:

"provides for the indefinite detention of American citizens by the military on American soil, without charge, and without right to legal counsel and [the] right to trial."

(Watch the PPSimmons report on Rep. Gordon's resolution on the Youtube video on this page.)

Gordon said in a statement released with his resolution submitted Monday:

"Given the fact that the constitutions of Rhode Island and that of the United States are replete with guarantees of individual liberties, right to habeas corpus, and right to freedom of speech, the offending sections of that law are repugnant to the sensibilities of anyone [who] has a basic understanding of the foundation of this country….

When I took the oath of office, I swore that I would support the constitutions of Rhode Island and the United States. And before one constituent of mine is snatched up in the dead of night, without due process under our laws, they’ll have to pry those documents from my cold dead hands.
 
“Both of these distinguished gentlemen understand that the first obligation of military personnel is the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
 
"Violation of that oath, constitutional provisions, and that of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is a slippery slope to tyranny.”
 
Pastor Chuck Baldwin, the Constitution Party’s candidate for President in 2008, wrote, “Americans should realize that, coupled with the Patriot Act, the NDAA, for all intents and purposes, completely nullifies a good portion of the Bill of Rights, turns the United States into a war zone, and places US citizens under military rule."
 
Christopher Anders of the ACLU said, “This bill puts military detention on steroids and makes it permanent…. American citizens … are at real risk of being locked away by the military, without charge or trial.”
 
PPSimons News Sevice reported Monday on widespread concerns of indefinitely detaining "beligerents" as NDAA allows staring March 3.
 
Gordon's resolution is now being circulated through the Rhode Island legislature.
 
Gordon is no stranger to counterintelligence.  He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1987 through 1991; trained in Terrorism Counteractions; conducted operations against guerrilla units; served in military operations on urban terrain; is skilled in jungle environment survival, flight and hanger deck firefighting; and aviation electrical systems.
 
Gordon has also served as AMVETS Public Relations Officer, a Young Marines Training officer, member of the Marine Corps League and American Legion.  He says he is also a student of American History and the U.S. Constitution.
 
He says he does not know of any other representative in any other state making the same effort and warned, "That incremental creeping of tyranny from the federal government has been going on for the past decade. 
Rep. Daniel Gordon (Rep-RI) drafts resolution exempting Rhode Islander from NDAA

Video: Rep. Daniel Gordon (Rep-RI) drafts resolution exempting Rhode Islander from NDAA

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, Human Rights Examiner

Deborah Dupre' holds American and Australian science and education graduate degrees plus thirty years human rights, environmental and peace activism; led Aboriginal Pacific Islander and Australian research; holds pivotal role in FUEL; co-founded America's Green Team, FUEL; lectures on Ancient...

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