Faisal Shahzad: Miranda or no?

May 4th, 2010

The arrest of Faisal Shahzad, the lowlife who tried to set off a car bomb in Times Square, is causing controversy among lawmakers as to whether or not Miranda should apply. I, personally, have no soft spot for idiot wanna-be terrorists whose intent it is to set off a massive explosion in a crowded public area with the goal of killing innocent people. I mean, if he had no regard for the rights of others, why should we have any regard for his?

Shahzad is an American citizen, born in Pakistan and naturalized. We may feel that Miranda, and other legal protections, should not apply to him because of his alleged ties to the Pakistani Taliban, or whatever other groups want to claim him. My opinion is we should hang him from certain body parts to insure a slow and miserably painful death, but then I remember that he hasn’t been convicted… yet.

Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, who also had no regard for anyone else’s rights, was also an American citizen. Not naturalized, but born and raised in the good old US of A. He was Mirandized and enjoyed other legal rights afforded to him by the US Constitution and laws – until he was executed.

If Shahzad was not a citizen, then he should be treated as a war criminal, wrung out like an old dishrag for information, then hung up by the aforementioned body parts.

However, since Shahzad is an American Citizen, then let’s Mirandize him, then try him and fry him.