Scared.

[velvetpage]

The American government has voted to do away with the central human right, the one that makes possible the defense of all the others - the right to know why one is being locked up, and to have the public know it, too. This was the issue that was the catalyst for the French Revolution.

I have no say in this whatsoever - not even a vote, since I'm not American. Some of you do. So, a link: a list of the names of those in the government who voted for it. Vote them out of office, one and all. Vote in people who will repeal this law. If you really believe in liberty, do this. The rest of the world is watching to see which Americans can still claim any measure of morality at all.

http://pecunium.livejournal.com/206646.html

Comments

Re: The final straw

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

Agreed, though it should be noted that most of the people who have already been affected by this (ie. before Hamdan) were shanghaied outside of the US.

Additionally, I am not confident that my current government would stand in the way of Bush were he to come looking for undesirables here, covertly or overtly. The previous, centrist government was bad enough about cooperating with Bush -- the current administration is significantly to the right.

Re: The final straw

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Though, it should be pointed out that we're in the categories least likely to be affected. We're WASPS who have never been involved in any protest more significant than signing a petition of two. According to that old poem, we'd be the last group they came for.

Re: The final straw

[wyldraven.livejournal.com]

There's a new version of Niemoller's famous poem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came...).

First They Came for the Muslims (http://buffaloreport.com/021123rohde.html)

And I have family who've been arrested for anti-war protests. So I'm a bit higher up the list.

Re: The final straw

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

"We're WASPS who have never been involved in any protest more significant than signing a petition of two."

Speak for yourself, my friend. I've been involved in quite a few major protests over the years. Tear gas, pepper spray, attack dogs, rubber bullets -- I've seen it all. Prior to 9/11, the various states' reactions were getting worse and worse with each new protest, culminating in a young protester shot dead in Genoa. Then 9/11 happened and the protesting stopped, more or less.

Also, more of a WAS than a WASP, but close enough :-)

Re: The final straw

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I was speaking for myself and Piet, not you. I wouldn't so presume. :)

Re: The final straw

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

I've made my decision. (http://ghostwes.livejournal.com/30674.html)

Re: The final straw

[wyldraven.livejournal.com]

The Canadian government has already turned over one suspect, who spent 10 months in detention in the US, and was finally released due to no evidence. I blogged about it when the release happened a couple of months ago.

Re: The final straw

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

Who was this?

Re: The final straw

[wyldraven.livejournal.com]

http://www.ararcommission.ca/eng/26.htm

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2006/09/every_suspect_i.html

Actually, Canada just pointed him out. He was taken at JFK.

Re: The final straw

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am well aware of the Arar case, as most Canadians at this point probably are. The way you described the situation was quite a bit different from what is actually known to have happened. He was actually deported from the US to Syria (where he was born) as an "extraordinary rendition", where he was subsequently tortured and forced to admit to things he knew nothing about. I'm just surprised they let him out. Most people in his situation simply disappear.

Re: The final straw

[wyldraven.livejournal.com]

My apologies. I had only remembered that he was a Canadian, fingered by the RCMP, and that he ended up in our torture system. I did not intend to besmirch your nation, only to point out that it had been made an unwitting accomplice in one known case. I shot off my mouth when I was angry. Most sincere apologies.

Re: The final straw

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

No need to apologise, sir. Besides, Canada does deserve at least some besmirching for its own part in handling of Maher Arar. The Prime Minister still has not apologised to him for what happened (though the RCMP head has done so -- day before yesterday, I believe).

Also, whether the US tortures someone, or sends the victim to a place where they know they will be tortured, it amounts to the same, morally, as far as I am concerned.

Re: The final straw

[wyldraven.livejournal.com]

Also, whether the US tortures someone, or sends the victim to a place where they know they will be tortured, it amounts to the same, morally, as far as I am concerned.

I agree entirely.

http://wyldraven.livejournal.com/234193.html
http://wyldraven.livejournal.com/234467.html
http://wyldraven.livejournal.com/234515.html