jeudi, septembre 28, 2006
all I can do is love you to pieces, give you a shoulder to cry when you need it
On a lark today I'm watching a bit of the Fox News Channel. I have to admit that they do a good job at appearing to be a legitimate news source. They have slick graphics and enthusiastic reporters. The host of the morning show I'm now taking in is effective, but there's just enough subtle right-wing commentary that I find myself getting annoyed.
They've been covering the passing of a new bill in Congress that sets out the guidelines surrounding the rights of detainees and how their interrogations are handled. This has been a contentious issue, with even some prominent Republican senators like John McCain speaking out in criticism of the proposed document. Apparently everybody has now come to a compromise now - although I heard that not much changed overall to protect individuals merely accused of participating in terrorist activities. So the bill will go to Shrub to be signed.
Edie Whatshername, the host of this show, was getting the story from another reporter, who also mentioned that Democratic senators had an issue with the bill, in that it did not protect the rights of Americans, because we need to adhere to a standard of reciprocity - i.e. how would like our military people treated in other nations should they be captured and interrogated. Edie said something like, "now that bugs me, that these Democrats are more concerned with protecting the rights of terrorists. I would like to know, too, just how quickly they would get our men a bible and a workout facility...!
I assume she's referring to the story we've all heard that in Guantanamo the detainees were provided with a copy of the koran and were given access to a gym. I wonder if she's also heard the stories about the vicious abuse and torture of these same individuals. So that just sounded ridiculous to me. That's like saying that if you give a child a doll to play with, they shouldn't complain about the neglect they suffer. One subjectively good thing does not negate all the bad, Miss Edie. I'm not sure if a Universal Gym is on the minds of the men who are being force-fed and deprived of most of the day-to-day aspects of human diginity that we take for granted.
The sad thing is that she probably represents a pretty popular view on this issue. | ¶ 11:33 a.m.
They've been covering the passing of a new bill in Congress that sets out the guidelines surrounding the rights of detainees and how their interrogations are handled. This has been a contentious issue, with even some prominent Republican senators like John McCain speaking out in criticism of the proposed document. Apparently everybody has now come to a compromise now - although I heard that not much changed overall to protect individuals merely accused of participating in terrorist activities. So the bill will go to Shrub to be signed.
Edie Whatshername, the host of this show, was getting the story from another reporter, who also mentioned that Democratic senators had an issue with the bill, in that it did not protect the rights of Americans, because we need to adhere to a standard of reciprocity - i.e. how would like our military people treated in other nations should they be captured and interrogated. Edie said something like, "now that bugs me, that these Democrats are more concerned with protecting the rights of terrorists. I would like to know, too, just how quickly they would get our men a bible and a workout facility...!
I assume she's referring to the story we've all heard that in Guantanamo the detainees were provided with a copy of the koran and were given access to a gym. I wonder if she's also heard the stories about the vicious abuse and torture of these same individuals. So that just sounded ridiculous to me. That's like saying that if you give a child a doll to play with, they shouldn't complain about the neglect they suffer. One subjectively good thing does not negate all the bad, Miss Edie. I'm not sure if a Universal Gym is on the minds of the men who are being force-fed and deprived of most of the day-to-day aspects of human diginity that we take for granted.
The sad thing is that she probably represents a pretty popular view on this issue. | ¶ 11:33 a.m.
