This is not good news for those hoping the Supreme Court would put the brakes on the administration's torture policies. They are set to look at a related case involving Gitmo detainees. Maybe this one will have better luck.
Still, it is amazing to me that a president as criticized and unpopular as Bush is still seems to get his way on so many things. Congress can't (or won't) do anything to stop him. The Courts aren't checking his power much. It seems the politicians and judges are split between "torture is a-okay" and "I might get hurt politically if I make a real stand, so I'll just make a lot of noise without doing anything substantial."
George Washington would be proud.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
And the Hits Just Keep on Coming
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5 comments:
Shane,
Thanks for continuing to document this...I've been following this a bit myself, and it's a mournful period in our history. The blame for torture falls sqaurely on the shoulders of all government leaders, though, not just Bush. A sin of omission is the same as a sin of comission. Let me put it differently- we have a handful of current Capitol Hill representatives running for President (Hillary, Obama, Ron Paul, etc.) who have, other than spewing election time rhetoric, done little or nothing to stop these atrocities. Bush has wantonly allowed tortute to occur; this is unacceptable. So has everyone in Congress. Equally unacceptable.
Also, I just wanted to make a small point about Washington's excerpt. 1: The excerpt leads the reader to believe that no atrocities occurred in Washington's day because he wrote a nice letter to his General- this is not true. Atrocities happened.
2) People often use the words of our forefathers to make a point. This has merit and can be a valuable argument, especially for someone like myself who is a bit of a constitutionalist. But the words of the forefathers are often used prematurely or ignorantly. This may or may not have happened here- I'm just saying we need to be aware of it.
Thanks for this post. Keep 'em coming.
I agree that everyone in government must share the blame. We have checks and balances in our system, but they are no good if not employed.
When I do orientation for people at work I have a spiel I have to give about respect (sexual harassment, inappropriate jokes, racial slurs, etc.). I always say, "You are just as guilty as the person acting inappropriately if you ignore the situation and walk away." It's just as applicable here. Members of Congress have not directly authorized torture, but by not stepping up and at least making a serious attempt to end it, they are condoning it. It makes me sick.
As for the words of our founding fathers, I think they are often like the Bible. People with all sorts of different beliefs can find some quote from our fathers that supports their own agenda whether or not it is an accurate representation of what the founding fathers actually believed. In fact, I came to the page I linked because Andrew Sullivan quoted Washington and this guy corrected the context Sullivan was using it in. It was still related, but the context was slightly different.
I guess it took a President who as a media caricature of being bullheaded and a "good ol' boy" to reveal a crime that has been used by the U.S. throughout recent history, by leaders on both sides of the aisle. Perhaps Hilary should visit with her husband about interrogation tactics during his presidency...
I'm not sure how the majority of Americans can stand behind a government that so blatantly deceives its own public and unabashedly does what it wants, at will, whether President or Congressman...this attitude is an epidemic and going to get worse before it gets better.
I think it is that too many people don't want/don' know how to step up and do something. You see polls showing our country uphappy with our President and Congress. I hear people complaining in real life. Of coure the internet is full of people bitching about things. But, nobody is really doing anything.
Sadly, I am just as guilty. I haven't written to my Congressmen. I haven' tried to organize any rallies or anything. I haven't done enough.
So, any ideas? What can we do?
Good questions, which should in many ways form one's personal mantras. A couple of thoughts.
Whether or not we like to admit it, we are living in an increasingly power-based, have vs. have-not society. At the heart of this issue is whether or not those who have power are accountable. They are not. So, responding to your question about what we do- one absolutely vital help we can provide is to help restore the power balance, both individually and on a government level. What I mean is that it's important for us to encourage and teach those around us that they have value/ worth/ a voice, etc. For many this simply means gving them the confidence and tangible help they need to go to college, or to finish high school, or to run for office. That's an individual thing- investing in people's lives in order to reveal to them their true worth.
On a government level, we need to be active. Writing Congressmen is good and should happen. Joining human rights groups also is good. Those things will ultimately prove unfruitful, however, if not coupled with more. What we really need to do is determine, for ourselves, where we think societal change will come from. Some think it is education (you might fit in this category), some think it is a restoration of values (I might fit in this category). Others think that change will come from government reform. Once we've decided for ourselves where we think our time, energy, and talents will affect the most change, we begin to invest ourselves in that. That's why Debbie and I live in the neighborhood, that's why we live in community, that's why we're going to a church even though it's not always personally fulfilling, that's why i spend an afternoon a week down at the county jail, etc. We just need to begin to do ...something.
I am, at heart, pretty complacent, often ignorant, and usually lazy if given the opportunity. We need to overcome these tendencies and actively particpate in the messed up world around us, however we see fit.
Probably more of a rant than an answer. Sorry.
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