As Bush and co's war on terror is unraveling even more with the latest Supreme Court ruling, the mainstream American public is finally getting the information they not only need, but cannot avoid anymore. As most bloggers against torture have condemned Bush and his cohorts, the net of cohorts get wider and wider with more revelations than we could hope for. The latest of these is a serious investigation that Dr. Steven Miles did into the medical prison personnel at Gitmo. It is detailed in his book: Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity and the War on Terror.
Read here Amy Goodwin's interview of Democracy Now with Dr. Steven Miles.
June was anti-torture awareness month, and I have not faithfully been posting on it. However, until Guantanamo Bay is closed and all other facilities and rooted mentality is dealt with and done away with for a new and moral approach to terrorism, torture awareness needs to be continued.
Update;
At the doctor's office today I saw that there was an article on the book in the July 3rd edition of Newsweek. Check it out. (am not a subscriber so cannot access it online)
The Supreme Court decision was a glimmering of light.
ReplyDeleteAlle kleine beetjes helpen Ingrid!
ReplyDeleteTake care, DA
Granny, a shimmering is a good one because there's no telling what the Administration will do afterwards. They do not seem the 'we'll eat humble pie and get it over with' types!
ReplyDeleteDA..en kleine beetjes zijn het! Jammer genoeg hebben we heel veel kleine beetjes nodig! sigh..I think that more people are checking out blogs via the mainstream newspapers who have their own and through blogs people get a lot more (passionate) critiques than elsewhere..well, speaking of the US that is. How is it in the Netherlands?
Ingrid
Hey, thanks for visiting my blog (and thanks to Lindsay). Yes, it's time to end torture, to end extraordinary rendition and to stop having two standards - one for George & Co. (everything we say goes because we're fightin' evil) and one for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteAs more and more comes to light, I hope the American people themselves give this regime the boot...
Gary, do you not work for Amnesty International up there in BC? How did that come about and what is it exactly that you do? btw..welcome!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your site as well which is bad in a way because my blogger rounds end up taking longer and longer and there's only so much time I have to read, respond, and oh yes, do my own posts and oh yes (!), take care of my family commitments at home..
KT, interesting, I did not know that the medical personnel came from the NG. That must be especially hard on them since they are perhaps not as 'hardcore'??
I do agree with you that it's not only this Administration that had covert actions up their collective sleeve. I do think though that Americans in general are not as open eyed about any of their governments illegal/covert operations than their European counterparts. I think the average person there (forgive me, also relying heavily on my own background and my Dutch families' commentaries) is more sceptical about trusting their government truly than here. People talk a lot here about 'not trusting the government' (whichever one that is), but I think that is mainly a feature of the federal system where they feel they really do not have much of an effect as they do with local or state politics. Plus, a lot of people I find are using it as a cop out for absolving themselves for self educating on issues or any sort of participation because they couldn't care less. Greenland. Well..don't get me started on them! (just kidding)
Ingrid
KT, thank you for you contribution to a discussion. It's not easy to 'discuss' when everyone is so in agreement. Here is what my thoughts are and that's only subjective. It's based on what I have seen, heard and experienced since living here for almost 10yrs with the benefit of having lived in different states since then, and having lived in different countries before.
ReplyDeleteIt's all relative. I have no doubt that there is a whole lot more information out there that people are aware of, either acutely, or in passing. And you are so right, it's an information overload. I can also agree with you that more Americans have become more politically discerning. However, I also think that there is a major backlash (right expression?) going on with some very fundamental and conservative elements religiously and economically are trying to enforce their version of control. I do believe that that has been going on a while too though and perhaps it's been more easily detected with this administration.
Perhaps it's a feature of what I see when I happen to be on Fox while clicking through that I cringe with some of the outrageous statements and claims and judgements they make. And the manner of aggressive reporting that they do when they cut people off while interviewing, ridiculing them and then, when they have the last word, diminish the interviewee's attempt at providing a counter point. I have seen this attitude and mentality in real life where it seems acceptable to quite a few to personalize and ridicule and feign unpatriotism if someone doesn't say something they like or want to hear. My original intent for this blog was to round up people from different countries who would have different viewpoints regardless even of their culture, and then talk about 'hot topics' and see what different people had to say about it. It was difficult in the beginning of starting this blog to get people to respond. Now I am a bit more known and have so many posts under my belt, I feel I can try again.
I still stand with my own observations and if that is not a complete picture..I agree. I have lived always in the South of the country, and it could be entirely regional so ..perhaps I am not quite right. I can see that you are right in that, you have seen and experienced changes. So..where am I now? Still in the same spot I guess but I will accept your position. Since you are of the baby boomer age, could you tell me what the regional differences are in this country? I guess I could look at the way people voted to see which ones are blue or red states, but I am thinking about 'underlying' attitudes, mentalities etc.
Also, I would very much like to get your feedback on this one article I read that is called, the fundamentalist agenda
http://www.uuworld.org/2004/01/feature2.html.
I would be curious to know your take on it.
I see you have commented on a few other posts but I will have to leave that for later I'm afraid. I need to get ready to take the kids to their swim lessons. Thanks so much for continuing to stop by. If no one comments, or corrects me, or shows me another viewpoint, I feel I am merely writing in the dark..
have a good day!
Ingrid