"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Words Fail Me

Anyone who can not only condone something like this but order it deserves our deepest contempt. All you America-hating rightwingers take note: this is an American citizen picked up in Chicago on trumped-up charges that have since disappeared, held incommunicado for three and a half years, and destroyed for nothing. This is what happens to "enemy combatants," so designated by that pissy queen in the White House. (Sorry, boys and girls, but you don't have to be gay to be a queen.)

The bitterest part is that we -- the American people and the American press -- let him get away with it. There's even a few sickos who think it's OK.

See this commentary by Glenn Greenwald:

[W]hy isn't this most patent violation of our country's core principles, whereby our fellow citizens are being imprisoned and tortured by our government with no charges, prompting genuine anger?

This is the reason why. Over the last five years, the media (with some notable and noble exceptions) essentially embraced the central premise of the Bush administration -- that in order for us to be protected, we must place our faith in the Leader and know that he is doing Good, because he wants to protect us. . . .

The Bush administration was able to invade Iraq, imprison and torture people (including U.S. citizens), and repeatedly and openly break the law not because the Howard Kurtz's of our country failed in their duty as journalists (although they did, profoundly). It goes beyond that. They affirmatively believed in those things -- and in many cases, still do -- every bit as much as the President and his government did, and they worked in harmonious concert with the administration to do as much, if not more, to enable it.


How many names must we have on the list before people begin to notice? The Brandon Mayfield debacle cost us $2 million. Can you imagine what the bill for Jose Padilla is going to be?

If this administration isn't impeached, then there's no hope for the country. This is just vile.

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