Wednesday, June 08, 2005
One more reason
As if we needed it, here is one more reason not to trust the current administration.
Political editing of Gloabal Warming research
Political editing of Gloabal Warming research
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
No way out
I had a very tough discussion this weekend with a fellow parent. The topic of the Iraq war came up. I said that I had been against the invasion from the beginning and am now even more convinced that it was a mistake. He asked me what I would do now if I was in charge, “how would you get the troops out?” My lack of a good answer on how to get out seemed to reinforce my friend’s opinion that it was the right idea to go in.
I’ve heard this before. This is crazy. It is the equivalent of jumping off of a 10 story building and then, after falling 5 stories, asking for help. Sometimes there is no way to recover from a bad decision. The lack of a better course of action after the boulder has been put in motion does not justify or mitigate the original mistake.
While I agree that we must focus on the best course of action and move forward, to ignore the mistakes that were made will lead us to make more even larger ones.
I’ve heard this before. This is crazy. It is the equivalent of jumping off of a 10 story building and then, after falling 5 stories, asking for help. Sometimes there is no way to recover from a bad decision. The lack of a better course of action after the boulder has been put in motion does not justify or mitigate the original mistake.
While I agree that we must focus on the best course of action and move forward, to ignore the mistakes that were made will lead us to make more even larger ones.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Patriot Act - First Shot
I am not a legal scholar, but a simple reading of the US Constitution and the past rulings of the Supreme Court can only lead to the conclusion that the "Library" provision of the Patriot Act is one of the least constitutional laws ever passed by our legislature.
It so obviously violates the Fourth amendment on so many levels that there is no way it could have been passed at any time in our history except during the collective panic that followed 9/11.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The records of individual’s library transactions are clearly covered by “papers and effects.” The lack of specificity required to get a “secret warrant” clearly violates “particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
I have no doubt that the vast majority of the Patriot Act and in particular this provision will someday be reviewed in much the same way as most American now view the “Red Scare” of the McCarthy era. “What were we thinking? Why didn’t we speak out?”
It so obviously violates the Fourth amendment on so many levels that there is no way it could have been passed at any time in our history except during the collective panic that followed 9/11.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The records of individual’s library transactions are clearly covered by “papers and effects.” The lack of specificity required to get a “secret warrant” clearly violates “particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
I have no doubt that the vast majority of the Patriot Act and in particular this provision will someday be reviewed in much the same way as most American now view the “Red Scare” of the McCarthy era. “What were we thinking? Why didn’t we speak out?”
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Let the venting begin!
While this may never get read by anyone but me, I thought for a long time about what topic I should choose for my first post. I considered all the topics which get me into heated discussions; taxes, gun control, the War for Oil, the Patriot Act, Judicial nominations.... I settle on the unlawful detention of humans in the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
Where to start?
Let's start with the made up term "enemy combatant." For a political party that tried to impeach a president because he used legalism to skirt the law, they don't seam to have a leg to stand on. These men and boys (many of them minors) are either prisoners of war, criminals, or kidnap victims. Each category is afforded more rights than what is currently being granted to the Guantanamo detainees.
How can we as a country, founded because of our rights being trampled, stand for these injustices?
- Held incommunicado
- No legal representation
- Secret evidence
- Indefinite sentence
I just can see how anyone in their right mind thinks this will make us a safer nation.
Where to start?
Let's start with the made up term "enemy combatant." For a political party that tried to impeach a president because he used legalism to skirt the law, they don't seam to have a leg to stand on. These men and boys (many of them minors) are either prisoners of war, criminals, or kidnap victims. Each category is afforded more rights than what is currently being granted to the Guantanamo detainees.
How can we as a country, founded because of our rights being trampled, stand for these injustices?
- Held incommunicado
- No legal representation
- Secret evidence
- Indefinite sentence
I just can see how anyone in their right mind thinks this will make us a safer nation.
