Site Presented By
Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Although sickened and tearful as I view these photos, it is so important that we not forget, that we not cover up the truth. That we, indeed, are the barbarians. The criminal acts that this regime has committed in the name of America, in the name of democracy, are heinous. The irony is that we are fighting terrorism with terrorism and we have gone far beyond the acts of Al Quaida in the murdering of thousands and thousand of innocent Iraqis. Just as these crimes are done in our name, we will have to bear the burden of the retribution. Those of you who write that these photos will incite more Anti-American sentiments are right. And why shouldn't the rest of the world be outraged at our murderous acts. We will have to pay the price and there's no way we should hide anything. This regime thrives in its secrecy. We must drop all dishonesty and be forthright and open and do whatever we can to right the wrongs done in our name.
These are children of God, these tortured and killed detainees. What kind of monsters have we created in our own children that would carry out this cold and senseless treatment of other human beings. What we do to others, we do to ourselves. And in regard to this insane war, I quote the brilliant words of best-selling author Eckhart Tolle, "Whatever you fight, you strengthen, and what you resist, persists."
God help us!
Let's see...Salon was so concerned with giving offense that it cravenly refused to publish the cartoons that have resulted in rioting by Muslims all over the world. This despite the fact that many leaders of the riots demanded government censorship of the cartoons. This despite Salon's presumed concern for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Yet in the case of "new" photos from an old controversy, Salon is suddenly unconcerned with offending people and causing riots. Despite the fact that there's no new "news" -- as sane people define that term -- Salon breathlessly carries the photos and sanctimoniously intones that "Abu Ghraib cannot be allowed to fade away like some half-forgotten domestic political controversy..."
Uh, so remind us again why it is somehow wrong to publish the cartoons, but perfectly fine to publish inflammatory photos of an old controversy.
And I wonder if Salon would be so enthusiastic about publishing newly discovered photos of 9-11 victims leaping to their deaths? Somehow, I suspect that we'd be sanctimoniously reminded that this is "old news"...
I have worked providing legal services to survivors of torture from around the world. To be violated in this way destroys people, no matter how much they work to really live again, even the most sucessful recognize they've lost a huge part of themselves. Despite the tremendous efforts they make at rehabilitiation, and the lives that are good in many ways after the torture, they find that they are shells of who they are or who they could have been. The impact of this on individuals is to destroy societies, and so we need to do whatever we can to demand our government stop torturing, or whatever it calls its behavior.
For a wonderful and chilling understanding of the impact of torture on society: Lawrence Weschler, A Miracle, a Universe, about the experience of Uruguayans and Brazilians coming to terms with the effects of torture in their societies.
You have published new photos of the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison, conducted by U.S. military personnel at the scene. You have claimed this abuse and torture was "done in our name," implying that it was a part of official administration or military policy, despite the fact that (I quote from your own main essay) "No high-ranking officer or official has yet been charged in the abuse scandal that blackened America's reputation across the world." That these things were done in our name is certainly a theory, but it has yet to be proven as the assertion you make.
You should now publish photos of restored public works in Iraq, of rebuilt cities and towns, of opened schools, of emptied prisons, of a nascent democratic process, as these things also were "done in our name." To do otherwise is rank hypocrisy.
You should publish the cartoons which have fueled riots in Europe by those who believe their existence has blasphemed their religious leader, since you have published reports on the riots and the unrest and we have a "right to know" what started this mess. To do otherwise is rank hypocrisy.
You should publish images or video released by terrorist groups in the Midde East who have kidnapped and murdered Westerners as well as their own people, including the scenes of beheadings which are included in communications from those groups. You should also publish images or video of the aftermath of the many attacks terrorist groups make in the region, not excluding the dead and injured, young and old alike, because we have a "right to know" what's going on in the area besides those things done by US troops and to know that US soldiers are not the only targets of these criminals. To do otherwise is rank hypocrisy.
In my opnion, that's what you should do. What you will do is, I'm afraid, something else entirely.
Why is Salon publishing abuse photos and not publishing the Danish Mohammed cartoons? I always support Salon, but I can't help but see a glaring bias and it's pretty dissapointing.
There have been a number of times recently when I've wondered if my Salon subscription was worth it, because your headlines of the day have been so lacking in the kind of globally-oriented, fact-intensive reporting that I long to see and rarely do in the American media. You just earned at least another year of support from this subscriber. Keep it up, follow it up.
While I think these photos should be published, and the adminstration admonished and ultimately put out of power, I also think we need to take a practical approach towards the level of anger in the muslim world. I fear not for us westerners, but rather the person who gets crushed in mob in some muslim country. I'm not fan of rioting, or inciting mobs. Given the anger around the globe, I'm not sure we should be adding the fuel to fire. As Spiderman might say with great power comes great responsibility. And I for one am not sure Salon is acting in a responsible manner. Sometimes it's best to wait til things blow over a bit before acting. Sure the photo should be covered, and US policy diligently reviewed and criticized. It's question of picking a time and place to do so. I'm not sure this is the right time.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
