My apologies for the length of this diary, but I had to voice my great sorrow concerning the state of public discourse in this country--which I felt frankly could not get any more despairing given the horrors of the Bush years. But this is it for me. Over the last week we have learned that the POTUS, Cheney, Rice, Colin Powell--the heads of the State Dept., and the judiciary have openly and willingly approved of torture--sadistic, horrific, soul-numbing torture. The story is now gone from the MSM. Outside the progressive blogworld, no outrage, no acknowledgement that this event is probably among the most significant in this country's history.
The US has condoned torture in the past--particularly during the cold war--Latin American proxy wars were horrific and the US stood by in support. The country has supported numerous torturing and authoritarian regimes throughout the Third World. The motto of the CIA being "we've never met a colored communist we wouldn't want to electrocute." That said, what all of these horrendous events have in common, is that they were done covertly. During the cold war there was at least the minimal recognition that torture was both against the law and stood against the ideals of democracy. As heinous as the cold warriors were, they were savvy enough to hide their actions and to confront the laws of civilized democracy straight-on. None of them attempted to overturn or even engage the sanctity of the Geneva Conventions or Habeas Corpus. They simply, quietly ignored them and went about torturing.
What makes the Bush Admin. so utterly unparalleled and dangerous is that they have brazenly, in the broad daylight rendered the Geneva Convention mandates and Habeas Corpus null and void. This is no small incident, the laws protecting our bodily integrity--that is the simple legal basis which prevents an individual from being dragged out of their home, beaten or maimed by agents of the state--is all that stands between civilization and barbarism. Ask anyone from Iran, or El Salvador or any nation where the state could act with impunity towards its citizens. The Bush administration has managed to tear down that last wall of protection. And we have sat back and allowed it to happen. No, the average American is not in immediate danger and indeed, the cruel economic realities of unemployment, and the housing crisis is consuming them, but they are exposed, we are exposed to the tyrannical impulses of the state as never before.
And while this happens the MSM and yes Clinton and McCain, have us circling the mental toilet of Bittergate. I am officially despondent. My intention was not to make a dig at Clinton. I feel I must now perform the mandatory act and express that at the beginning of the primary she was truly fine by me. Not my favorite, I adored Edwards, but que sera...but she struck me as capable. But Obama has done something quite amazing he has continually and with remarkable backbone attempted to clear a space for meaningful and intelligent discussion about difficult issues facing this country. If he were the nominee at this point we would not be absorbed in this mindless idiocy of Bittergate or whatever manufactured cloud of crap the Clintons throw out as strategy.
Our rights are gone, the wolves have seized the economy, and the idiots run the circus called teevee--Democrats have a choice--we can choose the candidate who will address the harsh realities of the last seven years or we can stubbornly cling to the spiteful politics of diversion.
Its time to pony-up, we only get one chance.