October 2, 2006

• I hope Leonidas isn't correct in his concern that my letters to the editor could land me without representation in some foreign , secret prison.  Nevertheless, this letter was published in the Indianapolis Star on  Sunday.

   

  In October of 2002 agents of the United
  States government abducted a Canadian citizen, Maher
  Arar, from the JFK airport in New York during
  a layover on his flight home to Canada.  He was then flown to Jordan and ultimately taken to Syria where he
  was imprisoned (much of the time in what has been described as a coffin-sized
  dungeon) and regularly tortured for about a year.  His torture included being beaten with a
  shredded electric cable until losing consciousness. Mr. Arar was eventually
  released after it was determined that he had no connection with terrorist
  organizations.  The United States
  government repeatedly lied to or misled the Canadian government (an ally, by
  the way) when they made inquiries into the disappearance of Mr. Arar.  This is unfortunately, not an isolated case.

  What has happened to the moral soul of America?  Every citizen needs to consider seriously
  whether this type of action reflects the values we hold dear in America.  If not, I urge all to let their government
  know, both in letters to their representatives and at the polls in
  November.  Because ultimately, when the
  government does this, when the government tortures someone and holds them in a
  “coffin-sized dungeon” it is we that are doing it.  Whether by acquiescence or indifference, we
  are responsible.

  Bob DeWeese

  In the U.S. today being moral means bashing the rights of gays and supporting the rights of fertilized eggs, while torturing innocent people and waging unjust war which causes the death of thousands of innocent human beings is nothing to concern ourselves with.  We are seriously off course.  If we don't change course we are seriously fucked.

  • 8:57 am
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