Alan Dershowitz-Defending Osama bin Laden in court as a lawyer is the 'highest form of patriotism'

Good Morning America ^ | November 29, 2001 | Diane Sawyer

[codebreaker]

Just uttered this spew right in front of Diane Sawyer unchallanged on Good Morning America .

[sheik yerbouty]

Could it not be said that disbarring and/or defenestrating Dershowitz be regarded as the highest form of patriotism? Would America suffer if Dershowitz was no longer allowed to engage in his dubious talents?

[Tony Niar Brain]

What you ('brain') don't realize is that this is WAR!! The war has been brought upon us on our shores. Bin-deaden is not privy to our constitutional guarantee of rights. He is a war criminal and should (and will) be handled as such.
Yes, he will be handled as such, just as other war criminals have been. He should stand trial, just like at Nuremburg, and now with Slobodan Milosevic. It's a necessary consequence of the American ideal of rule of law, which applies to all citizens of Earth. We have trials because human judgement is fallible.

No amount of bleeding heart liberal spew can or will change that. The American people OVERWHELMINGLY support our president in this matter. Libs be d#*ned on this one!
The American people would support Ronald McDonald if he was in the Oval Office in a time of war like this. War does not make the office of president all-powerful. This is not a monarchy.

[FirstFlaBn]

Sorry, I'm allergic to the ignorant and uneducated.

Uhhh, does that also apply to people who can't spell 'prattle?' Looks like you are battling an autoimmune ailment. I think the treatment involves avoiding condescension for at least 30 days and cutting down on the smirking. Good luck on a rapid recovery.

[JoeSchem]

This is why I worried that the Taliban had a chance of winning. There was always the chance that our military people would look behind their backs, and see a nation filled with the likes of Hillary and the feminazis and Dershowitz and the parasite lawyers and Peter Jennings and the other media fluffheads, and the soldiers would say, "Is that the 'way of life' we're defending? To h*** with it!" and just walk off the battlefield.

Would 'Highest Form of Patriotism' Dershowitz pick up the rifle and go to battle in their place?

[jpsb]

"One of the fundamental concepts behind the U.S. Constitution is that EVERYBODY"

Sorry but that is not correct. Every US citizen has a right, bin Laden has no rights.

[Regulator]

Dershowitz deals in hypothetical trials because he can. No one is going to resurrect Hitler except in mock trials. If our dear Alan really wanted to show what a law and order guy he is, even to the extent of defending terrorist soldiers, he could travel to Israel - where the Law of Return would instantly welcome him - and spend the rest of his life defending Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists.

But he won't do this, because he knows that in Israel, they don't even bother with secret trials. They just shoot the guy or blow him up with a cell phone bomb. Then they go bulldoze his house.

[rushtafarian]

jpsp said to 'brain':

"Sorry but that is not correct. Every US citizen has a right, bin Laden has no rights."

rushtafarian says:

Correct 'jp'. As to 'brain's' remark about the American people following Ronald McDonald during wartime......

Have you ever served your country brain? I did for nearly 14 years on active duty and reserve. Believe me, the people will not follow just anyone leading this country at ANY time, let alone during a war. With the slime liberal media, our president can and will be blind-sided constantly. It is the true patriot who will honestly back this or any president at any time. Get your head out of the sand.

God bless the true patriot.

rushtafarian

[ThomasMore]

One of the fundamental concepts behind the U.S. Constitution is that EVERYBODY, including the worst criminal, has a right to a lawyer.

Do you believe that the Constitution guarantees and covers everyone in the world? Did the framers of the Constitution envision constitutional rights for those who not only live outside the country but may denounce the Constitution and the U.S. and all that it stands for? Do you think the framers of the Constitution would have envisioned a court system that abides by the letter rather than the spirit of the law. The spirit has been so distorted by the letter, misinterpretation, I don't believe the founders would recognize the U.S. as the same country. The judcial system could be Great! But it is so abused by trial lawyers its often a sham! The Simpson case is just one example. And Dershowitz is a good reason why we need to recover the real meaning of seperation of powers. The judicial system in the U.S. has usurped power to legislate law, in the name of interpretation, more than too many times. Can you tell I'm not a fan of Dershitz. Lawyers like him, and there are many, make me leary of the whole system.

[Tony Niar Brain]

Do you believe that the Constitution guarantees and covers everyone in the world?

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and had much involvment with the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. He was a student of Enlightenment-era philosophers like Locke and Montesquieu - people who first came up with the concepts of checks-and-balances and seperation of church and state. Does the Declaration of Independence not contain language about "inalienable human rights", not "inalienable American rights"? So yes, I do think the ideals of the U.S. Constitution should be applied whenever possible, even for non-citizens.

Have you ever served your country brain?

I'm not old enough to have served in anything, thank you.

[Steve_Seattle]

Dershowitz' comments are Exhibit "A" why the military tribunals are a good idea. Defending someone like Osama bin Laden would be an enormous ego-trip for someone like Dershowits, and the O.J. case proved how big-time lawyers can turn the facts upside down and get an acquittal no matter how compelling the evidence against their client. Get a couple of anti-Bush and blame-America-first types on the jury, and acquittal would be a very real possibility.

[bmwcyle]

Dershowitz said he could defend Hitler. I think he EGO needs to be crushed.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Let's try his ass in New York . . . What are we afraid of?"

A jury like the O.J. jury.

[mmmmmmmm....... donuts]

unless there are 12 guys named mohammed on the panel, i don't think we'll have an o.j.-like jury. besides, for every o.j., how many other murderers have been successfully prosecuted? look, if you are that lacking in confidence in the u.s. judicial system, you really should look into moving to another country. and i don't say that in a 'get the hell out' context, i say that it in a friendly way--if you really think we're that messed up, look into finding a place that's better.