A Continuing Stain on America's Honor

Bob Herbert (NY Times): Stories From the Inside. The Bush administration has turned Guantánamo into a place that is devoid of due process and the rule of law. It's a place where human beings can be imprisoned for life without being charged or tried, without ever seeing a lawyer, and without having their cases reviewed by a court. Congress and the courts should be uprooting this evil practice, but freedom and justice in the United States are on a post-9/11 downhill slide.

Comments

[Owen]

As long as the standard of acceptable behavior in this administration remains at the level of "we aren't as bad as Saddam (or Ceaucescu, Idi Amin, Hitler, or Stalin) we're doomed to spiral downward in our humanity and reverence for law. Overturning the basic rights of American justice -- access to counsel, open trials, presumption of innocence -- is bad enough, and hardly inspires world confidence in our form of government. Accompanying it with state-sanctioned brutality is an abomination.

We can't even use the excuse of heat of combat...long cited for the atrocities that happen in every conflict...as the basis for this prolonged intentional outrage. This is cold, calculated defiance of both domestic and international standards. We even resist putting our policies to legal test to validate them, unpleasant as they may be to those who actually care about human rights. It matters not whether this policy is politically motivated, reflects racial or religious bias, or is simply perverse...Herbert's article is right on target. The failure of the media generally to have the courage, energy or integrity to address it is a stain on them as well.

[Bob Rosenberg]

It would be bad enough if W besmirched only his own reputation with his immoral and illegal behavior.

But it's worse -- much worse!

With his immoral and illegal behavior, W besmirches the reputation of *every* American citizen AND he besmirches the Constitution.

That is unforgivable.

W is a *very* naughty little boy.

[Paul Stuart]

And *who* is going to complain about this? After all, these are *terrorists* we're talking about! They're not people--they're terrorists!

That is what the Administration is banking on, because it works. Once the label of "terrorist" has been applied, all bets are off. Try this experiment with family and friends: when your chance to speak in a conversation comes, say "I think that the terrorists in Gitmo aren't being treated very fairly."

[Owen]

Paul is absolutely right. That's why people have always labeled perceived enemies in the most offensive manner possible -- Huns, Niggers, Kikes, Wops, Chinks, Nips, Gooks, Papists, Ragheads -- to dehumanize amd collectivize them, and thereby to make it acceptable for the "good guys" to do whatever they feel like. Add God being on our side, and life is good.

[Freedom Fries]

To balance things out: the "spreading freedom" rethorics...

Like the bald guy who tries to hide his bald head: who do they think they're fooling?