Michael Synar: “It was in 1215 that King John assented to the First Charter of Liberties. That document, the Magna Carta, read in part…”

“It was in 1215 that King John assented to the First Charter of Liberties. That document, the Magna Carta, read in part: "No free man shall be arrested or imprisoned or in any way victimized, neither will we attack him or send anyone to attack him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land." Each successive generation has endorsed that protection of liberties; in 1628, through the petition of right; in 1679 through the habeas corpus act. These simple principles inspired our own Founding Fathers in 1787 to guarantee these liberties in our own precious Constitution. They wrote these words, article I, section 9: "The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended." This "simple" writ of habeas corpus insures that all our constitutional liberties and our own Bill of Rights are enforceable. Why? Because our Founding Fathers knew, from firsthand experience, that a government could and would commit illegal searches. Our Founding Fathers knew, from firsthand experience, that a government could and would force confessions. Our Founding Fathers knew that a government could and would trample an individual's right to a fair trial without effective counsel. Our Founding Fathers also knew one more thing that a right without a remedy is no right at all. My colleagues, let us not be the first generation to fail to uphold that constitution vision. Let us show some political courage. Let us share that vision of 200 years.…”