On Torture and Terrorists and Secret Prisons and Lifelong Detention
I have been wanting to post something about the legislation on the verge of passing the Congress regarding the indefinite detention and torture of so-called "enemy combatants" for a long time. The problem has been that I am so mad and appalled and disgusted and frustrated--almost to the point of literally weeping for what my country has become--that I haven't been able to form coherent thoughts. This piece by Dahlia Lithwick posted on Slate is a good start.
Tom McKenna has a good post at his blog about a lawsuit related to that horrible "church" that protests fallen soldiers' funerals with picket signs declaring how the soldier died as God's revenge for the way the country has embraced "fags." Tom takes the law firm representing the church to task for what he believes is their insincere claim that they would die for the right of the protesters to say what they are saying, even while they may despise it. He points out that the one person in the whole story who did die for those rights is the poor kid whose funeral was being protested. And that makes me think about all the men and women who are putting their lives in danger for us. For our "freedom," as George W. Bush likes to say. And it breaks my heart that the same president that has sent those men and women into battle on our behalf is in his own country making sure that individuals can be secretly detained for the rest of their lives, tortured at will, and never charged with violating a single law, all at the whim of the executive. And Congress, including John McCain (who for a second, looked like he might actually take a principled stand on this issue, but has since completely caved) and way too many Democrats, are going right along with it. It makes me want to vomit. Literally. I don't even recognize my country anymore. Why are these brave soldiers killing and dying to protect the right of our president to behave like every other tyrant and despot in the world? Why aren't more Americans standing up and shouting out in opposition? We're fond of slogans in this country--slogans about our freedom. Live free or die. Give me liberty or give me death. Those are just a couple that spring to mind. A couple that seem to bear no resemblance whatsoever to the state of our country today.
Tom McKenna has a good post at his blog about a lawsuit related to that horrible "church" that protests fallen soldiers' funerals with picket signs declaring how the soldier died as God's revenge for the way the country has embraced "fags." Tom takes the law firm representing the church to task for what he believes is their insincere claim that they would die for the right of the protesters to say what they are saying, even while they may despise it. He points out that the one person in the whole story who did die for those rights is the poor kid whose funeral was being protested. And that makes me think about all the men and women who are putting their lives in danger for us. For our "freedom," as George W. Bush likes to say. And it breaks my heart that the same president that has sent those men and women into battle on our behalf is in his own country making sure that individuals can be secretly detained for the rest of their lives, tortured at will, and never charged with violating a single law, all at the whim of the executive. And Congress, including John McCain (who for a second, looked like he might actually take a principled stand on this issue, but has since completely caved) and way too many Democrats, are going right along with it. It makes me want to vomit. Literally. I don't even recognize my country anymore. Why are these brave soldiers killing and dying to protect the right of our president to behave like every other tyrant and despot in the world? Why aren't more Americans standing up and shouting out in opposition? We're fond of slogans in this country--slogans about our freedom. Live free or die. Give me liberty or give me death. Those are just a couple that spring to mind. A couple that seem to bear no resemblance whatsoever to the state of our country today.
posted by 123txpublicdefender123 at 7:30 PM
2 Comments:
I feel the same way - we've just lost a lot. Can you believe I was actually surprised that the dems didn't filibuster? Are there any other options before we're left hoping the courts find this an unconstitutional suspension of habeas corpus?
You were surprised? All of them care more about getting reelected than in representing us. I say vote them all out, dems or repubs, that will send a message. That will take a lot of guts on your part, are you ready? I am.
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