The terms “secret prisons” and torture at first seem best suited for a discussion on the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany or Communist China. Sadly, these terms can now also be used in a positive sentence concerning the United States of America. We’ve traded our old ideal of being the ideal for the world for an expanded notion of “Don’t mess with Texas.”
Now, the Bush Administration is changing its policies of holding prisoners in secret CIA prisons and using hard techniques that sound like torture - but aren’t supposed to be - to policies which conform to the law. Some may say this is progress, which it certainly is, but it is long overdue. This is not even mentioning the fact that this should never have been done in the first place. Now, with even a highly conservative Supreme Court ruling against the Bush Administration’s handling of prisoners, and the Republicans’ prospects in the upcoming mid-term elections in jeopardy, the Bush administration is changing its approach – dare we call it a flip-flop? Well, it is too little too late. We can see this move for what it is – a pragmatic and reluctant move by an administration that would rather “do its own thing” than follow the law.
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About Me
- Matt
- Lima, Ohio, United States
- I was born and raised in Ohio. I am a lifelong Catholic Christian who has always been interested in the big questions of life. I have a passion for learning especially Philosophy, Science, Religion, History and Culture. I graduated from the University of Toledo in 2001 with a B.A. in International Relations. I married my soul-mate, Jen in 2001 and we moved to rural Tanigumi-mura Japan where we taught English for 3 years. We moved to California and lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area for 4 years. Tired of sitting on the sidelines, I began volunteering for the Barack Obama campaign in March of 2007 and was eventually hired as a Field Organizer. Through the Obama campaign, I found my calling and moved back to Ohio to continue organizing. In 2009 I helped the field operations of the Keith Wilkowski for Mayor of Toledo race. After that, I was hired as a Regional Field Director for 15 northwestern and north central Ohio counties for the 2010 Democratic Coordinated Campaign. Jen and I are continuing to volunteer as we wait for the next organizing opportunity to present itself.
4 comments:
Have You Stopped Torturing People, President Bush?
This tital was chosen in a spirit of (dark) humor. One need not be familiar with the old sophistical refuatations to realize that either way this question is answered, an admission of torture is made.
That was the unstated point of the title...
- Matt
"Have terrorists stopped killing people"?
Even torture will not affect a people's resolve to remain silent. Why go there? We in turn are them if we allow this. Of course we need to find out information, but not to the point of disfiguring and mentally abusing people. That is a sin against ALL humanity. And left unchecked, our soldiers are in even more danger than they are right now. I cringe at the thought of our men in uniform receiving what WE dish out to others.!
"Have terrorists stopped killing people?"
No… …and thus that is why they are still called terrorists.
Now the United States of America is a nation-state that supposedly stands for truth, justice, liberty, freedom and human rights. Why should we sacrifice our ideals and our position as a global leader to stoop to the level of cold-blooded killers?
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