July 4: A day for repentance
Wow, columnist Chris Satullo raised the roof today in The Philadelphia Inquirer. This is a must-read. Here's a snippet.
Andy in Harrisburg
This year, America doesn't deserve to celebrate its birthday. This Fourth of July should be a day of quiet and atonement.
For we have sinned.
We have failed to pay attention. We've settled for lame excuses. We've spit on the memory of those who did that brave, brave thing in Philadelphia 232 years ago.
The America those men founded should never torture a prisoner.
The America they founded should never imprison people for years without charge or hearing.
The America they founded should never ship prisoners to foreign lands, knowing their new jailers might torture them.
Such abuses once were committed by the arrogant crowns of Europe, spawning rebellion.
Today, our nation does such things in the name of our safety. Petrified, unwilling to take the risks that love of liberty demands, we close our eyes.
Andy in Harrisburg
Labels: extraordinary rendition, Fourth of July, Guantanamo, torture
posted by ACLU of Pennsylvania at 7/01/2008 11:25:00 AM
5 Comments:
Please comment on the DC vs. Heller SCOTUS decision.
Or did you miss hearing about that one?
Case number is 07-290.
I am sure many people are interested in your blog's views on this landmark case.
This is pretty much the truth. We cannot be leaders of the FREE world, if we behave like petty, third-world tyrants.
Anon, If you are interested in the national organizations reaction, vist this link:
http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2007term/35797prs20080626.html
The ACLU did not file a brief in this case (at least one is not listed on the SCOTUS docket page).
According to the national ACLU's web site, the mission of the ACLU is to preserve all of these protections and guarantees:
Your First Amendment rights - freedom of speech, association and assembly; freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.
Your right to equal protection under the law - equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion or national origin.
Your right to due process - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake.
Your right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs.
Second amendment rights, which have been considered collective, not individual, have never been their focus.
Satullo is a gifted writer, with a conscience and a keen eye. The minute I read this essay my thought was "it shouldn't be confined to the Inquirer's Commentary page but set on the front page of the paper." It's as good as anything I've read in capturing the disaster that this administration has been for the nation, regardless of one's political persuasion. I know Bush won't read it, but I'm hoping Laura will force him to sit still while she reads it to him. By the way, it reads even better when read aloud.
Thanks, Alan, for posting that. Also, there is a spirited debate going on at national's blog:
http://blog.aclu.org/2008/07/01/heller-decision-and-the-second-amendment/
Keep in mind that the ACLU is a democratic organization. Members are welcome to bring forth resolutions to address organizational policy issues. For example, we had a chapter here in central PA that passed a resolution calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. I don't know all of the details on how to move those forward, but your state affiliate can tell you.
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