Letters to the Editor
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Is it time to move?
I used to be so proud to be an American as a world traveler. Now I say, "I'm sorry, I didn't vote for him". I am shocked by this article and thank you for the brutal truth about what is happening inside this administration.
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Too willing to believe the worst about Amerikkka...
It occurs to no one on this site that this is exaggerated or even fabricated? American agencies have nothing better to do than brutalize innocents?
This is the age of whistle-blowers (cf. Abu Ghraib) and Pelosi, Reid, Conyers et. al. are only too willing to air our country's dirty-laundry. Yet there is not even anonymous corroboration from someone who might have witnessed, been involved with or had first-hand knowledge of what is alleged here.
Leftists are always so willing to believe or enjoy the worst of America. Where are your tears for those hundreds of thousands brutalized by Islamofascists and other tyrants? The luxury of uninvolved judgmental contempt can be enjoyed only in a country such as ours.
A side note. One notices that, with the suspension of Amerikkka's civil-liberties by the fascist tyrants Bush/Cheney, all public criticism and slander has utterly ceased. The liberal MSM must now submit all articles for 'review'. Amy Goodman and Michael Moore have 'disappeared' and the Hollywood Leftrists are no longer allowed to make movies...
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@wmoser
There have been hundreds of reports from all over the world about CIA black sites. The fact that this individual is the first to talk in detail about his experiences does not mean that there is no corroboration.
And yes, open dissent in America is still possible, for now. What people like you never seem to understand is that by exposing the truth about the worst government abuses, news sources like Salon are trying to keep it that way.
Tyranny is slow and patient. France did not go instantly from liberte, egalite, fraternite to the Reign of Terror. Russia did not tumble overnight from the euphoria of revolution to the grinding horror of the gulag. Germany did not elect the Nazis into power one day and start building death camps the next.
These were processes -- opposed at every step of the way by thoughtful, brave, patriotic people who genuinely loved their countries, but who were drowned out by the sheep happily baaa'ing, "Oh, it's not that bad ... it can't happen here ..."
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A society is defined by its actions
A society indifferent to their government committing crimes against humanity describes a morally crippled society. Americans aberrant silence further perpetuates world indifference.
A society is defined by its actions. There is nothing cavalier in abusing and torturing people. Stripping human beings of their dignity is indefensible. Collectively, as Americans, as human beings, as a conscientious people our silence wittingly permits the US to torture people worldwide. Accordingly no one is exclusively entitled to nor protected under the law. The notion Americans are exempt is only a notion.
The administration openly supports brutal oppressive regimes and engages in similar practices abroad while quietly deconstructing our democratic institutions at home. Acting outside the law to do harm to others has neither moral standing nor reason.
Moreover, leading by example, Bush gave the world his stamp of approval for others to do likewise. A worldwide upsurge in human rights violations stemming from US policies are the results thereof.
Failing to recognize the WH indefensible stance to abuse and/or deny humans their rights provides the incentive that drives retaliation and galvanizes acts of violence is of paramount concern.
Granted we have never been perfect, but as Americans we have been strongly committed to safeguarding human rights, justice and freedom. Yet the Bush administration abandoned the basic principles and the rule of law laying claim that 911 changed everything. No 911 did not change anything, the administration revolutionized the way America operates in the world using 911 as cover to redefine America's standards.
Society is defined by its acts not its words. America cannot say one thing and do another and continue to ignore the world community.
Bashmilah's story is only one among untold numbers of men and women whose stories, all similar in context, have been surfacing for several years. Indifferent silence lends permission to commit inhumane acts and crimes against humanity; it diminishes humanity and weakens us as a nation, as a society and as individual human beings.
It is our moral responsibility to the global community to return to acts of decency, ensure human justice, equality and freedom, follow the rule of law, value human life in deed and action not just in word; It is an investment in America's future and the world's, too.
Safeguarding human rights includes doing so for every single human being.
Indifferent silence is not an option. If we do not speak up for human decency who will?
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"American agencies have nothing better to do than brutalize innocents?"
Grow up. American agencies have a fifty-year history of brutalizing innocents. We saw the first CIA torture video almost 20 years ago. We've read the manuals describing all the ways the agencies are allowed to brutalize their victims. And we absolutely know, *because the agencies have told us themselves*, that guilt or innocence is more or less unimportant to them.
Grow up. America's the weapons king -- it spends more than half the money spent on weapons in the world. It's the landmine king, making three-quarters of the world's landmines. It's the war king -- American soldiers have been fighting in some foreign country somewhere for well over 60 continuous years.
So it's absolutely true. American agencies really are unable to find a better thing to do than brutalize innocents. You can point to their history of failure in things like 9/11, the Beirut barracks, all the way back to the Bay of Pigs.
This is what happens when you hire psychopaths to do your dirty work.
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"It occurs to no one on this site that this is exaggerated or even fabricated?"
Since the agencies in question have gone out of their way to assert strongly that they have every right to perform the despicable activities described in this article, you'd have to be pretty naïve to believe that they don't in fact do what they've said they do.
I'm curious. Got any *evidence* for your claims? Or are you just "making shit up" as the Republicans do?
We have plenty of evidence that the US has *tortured innocent men to death*. We have this on the authority of the US military itself. Let me know if you are at all dubious, I'd be happy to provide you all sorts of documentation.
Now, your information comes from...?