America's Darkest Day
Media Misses Saddest Day for Democracy and the Rule of Law
In the scandal over Representative Mark Foley of Florida and the other news of the day, the media failed to mark one of the worst days for democracy in the history of the United States. The passage of the bill that gives the President the ability to interpret the Geneva Convention and prevents detainees from seeking help from the courts is one of the darkest moments in American history. The story was covered from the angle of the deal that was struck, but gave little mention to the historic shift this marks. The reporters did not even comment how this new law when signed will make it difficult for them to do their jobs. They will not have access to citizens of the world that our government abducts or makes disappear. These Congressional so-called "moderates" gave away the farm, and Lady Liberty received a mortal wound.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was recently in Denver and said, "If we want to live in peace, we have to realize we are all members of the same family." He went on to praise the United States to the students gathered for a conference on Peace, "You taught us no government worth its salt can subvert the rule of law. We believed you," he said. "That's part of what you have as a gift for the world. Then how can you commit Guantanamo Bay? Take back your country." We have undermined all of our leadership on the world stage for the last 100 years. We are now the country operating outside of UN conventions. We are the country making people "disappear." The idealism expressed with the creation of the Peace Corps have disappeared with the passage of this bill. What took forty to sixty years to build has been lost in the last five years. This terrorism trials bill is the final nail in putting arrogance and disdain for the rest of the world into U.S. law. Why is the media silent?
Brian
In the scandal over Representative Mark Foley of Florida and the other news of the day, the media failed to mark one of the worst days for democracy in the history of the United States. The passage of the bill that gives the President the ability to interpret the Geneva Convention and prevents detainees from seeking help from the courts is one of the darkest moments in American history. The story was covered from the angle of the deal that was struck, but gave little mention to the historic shift this marks. The reporters did not even comment how this new law when signed will make it difficult for them to do their jobs. They will not have access to citizens of the world that our government abducts or makes disappear. These Congressional so-called "moderates" gave away the farm, and Lady Liberty received a mortal wound.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was recently in Denver and said, "If we want to live in peace, we have to realize we are all members of the same family." He went on to praise the United States to the students gathered for a conference on Peace, "You taught us no government worth its salt can subvert the rule of law. We believed you," he said. "That's part of what you have as a gift for the world. Then how can you commit Guantanamo Bay? Take back your country." We have undermined all of our leadership on the world stage for the last 100 years. We are now the country operating outside of UN conventions. We are the country making people "disappear." The idealism expressed with the creation of the Peace Corps have disappeared with the passage of this bill. What took forty to sixty years to build has been lost in the last five years. This terrorism trials bill is the final nail in putting arrogance and disdain for the rest of the world into U.S. law. Why is the media silent?
Brian
posted by Homeless Grapevine at 12:10 AM
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