Wednesday, June 29, 2005
The President's Statement on Torture
So the President has a stance on Torture:
Yet we keep prisoners in Gitmo, without benefit of council, or without charging them, and from what has been reported by Senator Durbin and others, under what would be considered less than ideal conditions. From what Senator Durbin said, it seems to me that we are torturing our enemy combatants in Gitmo. Of course above it states that "human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law." Since enemy combatants are not protected under the Geneva convention since they are not POW's then they are not protected by the rule of law, which means we can torture them all we want.
Isn't this statement wonderfully ironic given the backdrop of Gitmo and Abu Ghraib
How can our country stand for liberty for everyone yet continue to treat our "enemy combatants" with such disrespect.
This is not the America that I grew up in, this is not the America that has in its pledge, "For Liberty and Justice For All" We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. You cannot just classify a people as having no rights, all humans have rights, denying rights to a people for Political gain is just wrong, plain and simple.
This administration has made the statement that they want to bring Freedom and Democracy to oppressed regimes worldwide, shouldn't we as a country, be looking in the mirror and realize that America is judged, on the world stage, not by what we say, but by how we act. ¶ 4:10 PM
President's Statement on United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
On United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the United States reaffirms its commitment to the worldwide elimination of torture. Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right, and we are committed to building a world where human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law.
Yet we keep prisoners in Gitmo, without benefit of council, or without charging them, and from what has been reported by Senator Durbin and others, under what would be considered less than ideal conditions. From what Senator Durbin said, it seems to me that we are torturing our enemy combatants in Gitmo. Of course above it states that "human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law." Since enemy combatants are not protected under the Geneva convention since they are not POW's then they are not protected by the rule of law, which means we can torture them all we want.
Isn't this statement wonderfully ironic given the backdrop of Gitmo and Abu Ghraib
Many have been detained, arrested, thrown in prison, and subjected to torture by regimes that fail to understand that their habits of control will not serve them well in the long-term. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies. All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: The United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.
How can our country stand for liberty for everyone yet continue to treat our "enemy combatants" with such disrespect.
This is not the America that I grew up in, this is not the America that has in its pledge, "For Liberty and Justice For All" We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. You cannot just classify a people as having no rights, all humans have rights, denying rights to a people for Political gain is just wrong, plain and simple.
This administration has made the statement that they want to bring Freedom and Democracy to oppressed regimes worldwide, shouldn't we as a country, be looking in the mirror and realize that America is judged, on the world stage, not by what we say, but by how we act. ¶ 4:10 PM
