Pendragon_6
12-08-2005, 08:02 AM
by J.B. Williams
Thursday, December 8, 2005
Like so many other old ideas, the concept of treason seems to have lost its usefulness in today’s American society of social creature comforts and lofty "love thy enemy more than thy country" precepts. It’s almost treasonous to accuse anyone of treason today. But have some stretched the boundaries of honest dissent and strayed into treasonous territory for the sake of political gain?
Treason is defined differently in different parts of the world. In America, the U.S. Constitution defines it this way in Article III, Section 3, Clause 1, "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, (or) in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
The most recent case decisions I could find involving treason were Cramer v. United States, Haupt v. United States and Kawakita v. United States, all dating back to WWII. In all three cases, the U.S. Supreme Court held that there are four essential elements for conviction on treason charges. Those four essential elements are as follows; "(1) the defendant's intention to betray the United States, (2) manifested in an overt act, (3) testified to by two witnesses, (4) which gave aid and comfort to the enemy."
In Full
Canadian Free Press (http://www.canadafreepress.com/2005/williams120805.htm)
Thursday, December 8, 2005
Like so many other old ideas, the concept of treason seems to have lost its usefulness in today’s American society of social creature comforts and lofty "love thy enemy more than thy country" precepts. It’s almost treasonous to accuse anyone of treason today. But have some stretched the boundaries of honest dissent and strayed into treasonous territory for the sake of political gain?
Treason is defined differently in different parts of the world. In America, the U.S. Constitution defines it this way in Article III, Section 3, Clause 1, "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, (or) in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
The most recent case decisions I could find involving treason were Cramer v. United States, Haupt v. United States and Kawakita v. United States, all dating back to WWII. In all three cases, the U.S. Supreme Court held that there are four essential elements for conviction on treason charges. Those four essential elements are as follows; "(1) the defendant's intention to betray the United States, (2) manifested in an overt act, (3) testified to by two witnesses, (4) which gave aid and comfort to the enemy."
In Full
Canadian Free Press (http://www.canadafreepress.com/2005/williams120805.htm)