National sovereignty and the legitimacy of our justice system versus the United Nations and the World Court was decided in Medellin v. Texas by the Supreme Court in 2008. In a 6-3 ruling the court made clear that no President could cede authority of our justice system to a foreign interest.
The essence of the case involved a Mexican national, Medellin, who was tried and found guilty of the kidnapping, brutal torture and rape, and murder of a 14-year-old Texas girl, and sentenced to death. The appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was based on the premise that he had not been advised of his right to consult his consulate, as required by an international convention. This premise was backed by the Bush Administration and opposed by Texas. But the Supreme Court affirmed the Texas court’s verdict and Medellin’s sentence was carried out. Interestingly, Justice Stevens, one of the Supreme Court’s most liberal justices, concurred in that decision. America could use more of that ability to recognize what seems obvious instead of retreating into the political dogma of today.
Whatever one thinks of President Trump, he has become a symbol of national sovereignty. On Jan. 26, 2018, Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. In that speech he drew a line in the sand that clearly delineated America’s right to self-interest and self-preservation.
“We support free trade, but it needs to be fair and it needs to be reciprocal because in the end unfair trade undermines us all. The United States will no longer turn a blind eye to unfair economic practices, including massive intellectual property theft, industrial subsidies, and pervasive state-led economic planning.” Trump went on to say, “as President of the United States, I will always protect the interests of our country, our companies, and our workers.”
It is my opinion that is why globalization elites went after Donald Trump with a vengeance. I have never witnessed anything like it, and I have a few reservations about some of Donald Trump’s personality traits. I didn’t vote for him in 2016. As I mentioned in a previous column, I felt neither major party nominees resonated with my sense of civility and good governance in an election cycle that had none.
The events of this last election cycle are propelling us into a deeper divide. A nation that is dedicated to self-government needs to reassert that founding principle through thoughtful analysis and reasonable actions against a tsunami of psychological warfare.
Former Microsoft Chief Steve Ballmer recently said in a New York Times interview, “It is troubling to me – very troubling – that people don’t believe government numbers.” Mr. Ballmer is the founder of a nonprofit called USA Facts.
I don’t know what to make of Steve Ballmer’s wonderment. Americans have reasons to become openly skeptical at a government that betrays their oaths to uphold our Constitution and our Bill of Rights on a regular basis.
There are polls that show significant numbers of Americans believe there was election fraud and the government doesn’t care.
The use of psychological-backed propaganda has reached epic proportions in our election cycles. William Webster, former director of the CIA, is credited with saying that the CIA would know its disinformation campaign was successful when a majority of Americans believed it over facts.
Mainstream corporate media giants are constantly replaying a single source video clip of the January 6th attack on the Capitol to buttress the argument that it was Donald Trump and his supporters who carried out the attack and the second impeachment of Donald Trump was justified. If you repeat a narrative enough it can be effective in convincing enough individuals to win an argument, regardless of the veracity of that narrative. The sad truth is more people can be swayed by images over a written speech, which is what makes the digital age so dangerous. Take the time to read President Trump’s speech of January 6th for yourself. Then, ask yourself if that seemed an impeachable offense or was it just an indescribable hatred focused on destroying a political opponent? We are only just beginning to assemble the facts surrounding the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
Transnational corporations’ loyalties do not owe allegiance to any one country as they endeavor to bend the world to their will.
The future of America as a free, independent country is now at risk. Ask yourself what you believe in and how you will respond to a cascade of disinformation designed to erode that firewall known as the Constitution of the United States and its Bill of Rights.
Will you sacrifice your rights or will you stand up?
Valerie Maez writes from Lewis, Colo.
