For this post, I am not going to talk about the latest issues or problems that the world is facing (at least, not the main issue(s) the media has decided is important for us to care about at this very moment). This has been a huge issue not too long ago and I feel that it is too important to let it fall off of our radar screens.
Although the Latin phrase above is translated as "For among arms, the laws fall mute", I am going to use the more modern interpretation of this classic phrase "In times of war, the laws fall silent." Cicero, from Roman times, coined the phrase and it holds true today.
As many of you know, I am a Republican and a supporter of the war(s) that the U.S. is currently engaged in. I am also one of the very few (and I mean very few) general supporters of President Bush. He has done decent things, some of which have gone without press releases and the typical political "look at me" stunts that BOTH sides are guilty of doing. Do not get me wrong though, please, he has done some Stupid and idiotic things that make you go "Really?" but then again, everyone has had some of those moments. I consider myself a "realistic conservative" (that's right, a new catch phrase for my conservative compadres) in that I actually listen to the other side, try to understand where they are coming from, looks at all the facts and then make my opinion. My bias is always there and I make no attempt to hide that but we all have our bias, even those who claim they are just giving facts and are unbiased. With that said, I am also a staunch believer in this country's greatness… or at least the greatness we could be.
Since the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the American people and Congress have been signing away our freedoms and our moral integrity in the name of National Security. We allow the Government to listen in on us, we are more than willing to take off our shoes and submit to personal searches so we can "freely" move about the country and world (while following other countries' immigration laws, of course), and allow the country to increase its use of torture on individuals. I can support limited torture (non-physical and non-sexual humiliation torture) on those who are actually bad guys and terrorists but I cannot support and am outraged at the use of both physical and psychological torture on people. What really gets me pissed is the fact that we do this not because they have information or they are guilty of something, but because they might have information. We torture people to see if they are guilty of something that we can then use to justify more torture. Why?
We do not do that. We are the United States. We treat enemy soldiers with respect, humanity, and compassion. We are supposed to be treating our prisoners of war like we expect and demand our citizens be treated. We give all persons, citizens or not, access to a fair trial and judicial process (as fair as it can be given Humankind's suckiness at being fair). After three years of being locked up, we have "enemy combatants" still locked up without having any access to lawyers, family, or even a hearing to let them know why they are being held. Why? We place any name that may have a link to terrorism on a no-fly list, even if that name includes those who are known NOT to be associated with terrorists. Even after we know they are not terrorists, we leave the name on there because of the chance that they will let one slip by (yet we still put inmates to death when DNA proves someone else was there). Why?
Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and in a humane way. All of us are, after all, endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The next line of that great document provides justification to alter or even overthrow a government in certain cases. I do not think we are at the point. Far from it. But we need to be wary because we do not want to be the last ones left. I am reminded of Martin Nummular, a German pastor who opposed the Nazis. "In Germany they came first for the communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionist and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak up."
In times of war, humanity ceases to be evolved or even compassionate. We allow the laws to fall silent and for that we should all be ashamed.
4 comments:
Very well written, Mr. Geoff.
I have one question. You said, "I can support limited torture (non-physical and non-sexual humiliation torture) on those who are actually bad guys and terrorists but I cannot support and am outraged at the use of both physical and psychological torture on people."
What kind of torture does that leave? I'm confused about what would constitute non-physical torture besides psychological torture, which you seem against at the end of the sentence.
Ah, good question. I need to clarify this confusing sentence.
What I mean is limited psych "torture" on those like Noriega (as we tried to force him out), gang leaders, and drug cartel leaders. What is left is basic sleep deprivation, fear of physical torture, or other minor techniques (I realize that torture is never minor but in the grand theme of things, sleep deprivation is nothing, I imagine, compared to body mutilation). The no torture on people was referring to those who have done nothing wrong or are those that may have done something but we just aren’t sure. It is a blurry line but I guess the old saying “on a case by case basis” would be somewhat accurate here.
I see. Thanks for the clarification.
Here here.
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