Minor Axis
Well-Known Member
MSNBC Link.
The next time you want to judge a third world dictatorship who locks people up forever, consider the U.S. Government position of locking people up indefinitely without *any* legal representation. If it was your son and daughter stuck in some hell hole, say a Turkish Prison, there was a time when we could hold our heads high with moral authority and say, "That's wrong asshole!" We can still say it but not with any authority as long as the current Administration is in charge and who believes that torture is the way to go and who needs their day in court anyway?
Fortunately the Supreme Court has called the Bush Administration on this ILL ADVISED policy. You might argue well, this is war, and these are prisoners of war. But I'll counter this is not a typical war, and it's not a war against one country, it's the war on terror and there are people being detained who have been snatched from all around the world, and not just on the battle field.
The point is this. Any time an authority has the ability to lock up an individual, and if it's your government, you have to look at the possibility of abuse, and you must consider is there responsible oversight? I grew up on the concept of habeas corpus where you can not be locked up and toss the key without real representation. It's one of the foundations of liberty. The actions at Gitmo should give you serious pause to think about a situation when your government feels security trumps your liberty.
BTW, do you realize that 5 US Military Prosecutors have quit their positions over the policies of handling prisoners at Gitmo? Basically the problem is they were trained to believe in a fair and responsible legal system. I'm not saying those prisoners are good people. I'm saying I too believe in a standard of legal representation that this country should stand for.
CNN Link.
CCRAT Link.
Harpers Magazine.
The next time you want to judge a third world dictatorship who locks people up forever, consider the U.S. Government position of locking people up indefinitely without *any* legal representation. If it was your son and daughter stuck in some hell hole, say a Turkish Prison, there was a time when we could hold our heads high with moral authority and say, "That's wrong asshole!" We can still say it but not with any authority as long as the current Administration is in charge and who believes that torture is the way to go and who needs their day in court anyway?
Fortunately the Supreme Court has called the Bush Administration on this ILL ADVISED policy. You might argue well, this is war, and these are prisoners of war. But I'll counter this is not a typical war, and it's not a war against one country, it's the war on terror and there are people being detained who have been snatched from all around the world, and not just on the battle field.
The point is this. Any time an authority has the ability to lock up an individual, and if it's your government, you have to look at the possibility of abuse, and you must consider is there responsible oversight? I grew up on the concept of habeas corpus where you can not be locked up and toss the key without real representation. It's one of the foundations of liberty. The actions at Gitmo should give you serious pause to think about a situation when your government feels security trumps your liberty.
BTW, do you realize that 5 US Military Prosecutors have quit their positions over the policies of handling prisoners at Gitmo? Basically the problem is they were trained to believe in a fair and responsible legal system. I'm not saying those prisoners are good people. I'm saying I too believe in a standard of legal representation that this country should stand for.
CNN Link.
CCRAT Link.
Harpers Magazine.
