To Protect Freedom, Don’t Take It Away

My American mother, sister and I moved back to the U.S. in 1976 because my father, after being taken in “for questioning” by military police, was imprisoned for 14 months in the African country of Malawi. He was one of many detained without committing or being charged with any crime during a period when Malawi’s president went after those he saw as national security threats. The Americans we grew up around found our story shocking and told us we were lucky to live in America, where such things did not happen.

Now, 25 years later, over 1,000 individuals have been detained without due process on minor charges (unrelated to the terrorist attacks) for three months, and counting, in America. Furthermore, on the orders of our president, they and others perceived to pose threats to homeland security could be tried in front of secret military tribunals in order to “protect our freedoms.” If my family had not experienced such a nightmare firsthand, I might be able to laugh at the irony.

Nina T. Harawa

Los Angeles