Few issues raise the spirit of patriotism in Americans more than the idea of terrorism. Not only does it evoke a sense of nationalism, but it touches all the fear spots as well. How many of us will soon forget the horrific image of the 9/11 attacks.

Since the arrest of Faisal Shahzad, a suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing, some Republicans have been arguing that, despite his status as a citizen, he should not be read Miranda rights.

What what are the ramifications inherent in this plan proposed by Lieberman? Who gets to decide who can keep or loose their rights when they are merely suspects to a crime? Merely suspects? I fully get the notion of stripping away citizenship from a convicted terrorist, but someone who is just a suspect?  The very fabric of our democracy is threatened when it becomes easy for American citizens to be treated this way.

It is especially important for LGBTQ Americans to take notice of this. We are already treated as second class citizens, and historically, we have moved through periods of history where the very act of loving another was a crime. In the not too distant past, some far right conservatives wanted to round up all the gays and put them in camps as a way to protect others from AIDS. With the Religious Right growing stronger and more politically enmeshed in Washington as well as internationally (think of Uganda), who will be next after the “suspected” terorists? Will it be the gays who can have their rights taken away so easily?

via Faisal Shahzad Arrest: Lieberman Proposes Taking Away Citizenship Of Suspected Terrorists.