Now that George Bush has gotten total and absolute autocratic power to “disappear” anyone who simply disagrees with him, his policies, decrees, or his plans - when does the purge begin? Will you and yours be the targets of eraser teams or death squads? The Constitution is an inconvenience and nothing more than wishful thinking written upon an old piece of paper to these power addicts. The fine points of the arguments are not that difficult. It is all about responsibility. The Bush advocates simply want unhindered ability to arrest, detain, hold, torture, and execute American citizens and non-Americans alike with impunity from the consequences of responsibility for their actions. Their argument is that in special circumstances like definite knowledge that a suspect detainee has information that would likely allow the interception of, and neutralization of, a nuclear device planted in an American city. I agree that in this special circumstance, torture is likely to be required and necessary. I also believe that it would not be difficult to find a person willing to break the laws against torture to get the needed information. In fact, I volunteer right now for the job. That does not mean that I, or anyone else, should escape all consequences for that action. Even if that action may have or did save tens of thousands of lives. Even if conviction is highly unlikely in the face of facts, there ought at least be a trial. I believe that no jury would convict in such a circumstance if all the facts are allowed to surface in court. For there to be anything less than a trial is an indication of a deep fundamental erosion of the values which underpin the United states, and our belief in the value of human life. To do as the Bush Administration and Congress has done to remove the possibility of trail or punishment for certain behaviors simply diminishes the meaning of civilization and the differences between us and the terrorists that wish to destroy us. Terrorists do not value human life. Why are we are copying them? Yes, that is exactly what the Bush Administration and Congress have done. They have removed any possibility of any punishment, even the possibility of a trail, for “disappearing” people, holding them without charges ,or a trial, indefinitely, and torture is now also AOK. Death is certainly a possibility. Who is ever to know? These are the people who profess to value human life, even that just conceived? Just how is this different from running an abortionist’s clinic? The person dying is simply older and larger. There ought to be punishment for certain behaviors, even if these behaviors in special circumstances, are “right” and “necessary” and “good”. It is precisely the threat of punishment that keeps the lid of civilization on brutality and severely limits common application of despicable behaviors. When our President George W. Bush signed that law, he fundamentally changed the character of American civilization, and America’s place in the world as a guiding light for good. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This truism is several thousand years old and well recognized. Well, George Bush, and now every President that comes along in the long run of history, has that absolute power now. It is only a question of time until the allure of that kind of power causes us to go from calling those who disagree with an Administration “unpatriotic” to making them “disappear” forever. American style civilization is a delicately balanced written agreement to civilly disagree within established limits and commonly agreed upon laws. That balance has been severely compromised for totally inadequate reasons - primarily a severe case of cowardice. Yes, I really do believe this. In fact, I may even be first on some list.
(c) Copyright 2006: George Wallace recently published a book on religion which lashes out at nearly all of the comfortable ideas about God, the trappings of organized religion, and the priesthood. His pithy comments and suggestions for a return to a God-centered personal religion will interest everyone. This article may be freely reprinted so long as all copyright attributions, and the full content of this resource box are included. www.OhGodIsThatYou.com
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