First among these may well be the tradition of humane warfare, articulated by George Washington after the Battle of Trenton, December 24, 1776. "Treat them with humanity,"
~snip~
"should any American soldier be so base and infamous as to injur[e] any [of them]... I do most earnestly enjoin you to bring him to such severe and exemplary punishment as the enormity of the crime may require. Should it extend to death itself, it will not be disproportional to its guilt at such a time and in such a cause." Any officer who failed to heed this direction, he said, would bring "shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country."
thegooddemocrat.wordpress.com
bold text added by the diarist
Washington also set the rule that detainees be given the same housing, food and medical treatment as his own soldiers. And he was particularly concerned about freedom of conscience and respect for the religious values of those taken prisoner. "While we are contending for our own liberty, we should be very cautious of violating the rights of conscience in others, ever considering that God alone is the judge of hearts of men, and to Him only in this case are they answerable."
thegooddemocrat.wordpress.com
bold text added by the diarist
Ruin to themselves and their country
Our nation finds itself where it is today because of the actions of the previous administration. This is simple and undeniable. They have brought themselves to ruin, and us along with them.
For all their faults, for all their short-comings and views that we would not agree with today, General George Washington and his men were honorable men. Though there was still injustice in their day our founding fathers knew there was a line which you did not cross.
The lines that were drawn based on race and ethnicity were too strong in those days, too rigid. The status quo then that accepted the enslavement of other men and the brutality of blood shed upon our borders could not see the atrocity of slavery or the settlers and early Americans treatment of the Native Americans. In the days of our founding fathers those barriers were still rigid, it was only recently that those lines began to fade. Yet, some lines, good and bad, still remained.
The line of civilized society is drawn at the humanity and mercy one shows his enemy. By maintaining that line, men and nations maintained and earned their honor. Men who are free and civilized are due a certain mercy, and it was honorable to be merciful, for if no quarter is given, none can be returned.
In time, thankfully, the views of equality envisioned by or founding fathers was extended to all citizens of the United States, women and African Americans fought for and earned their suffrage, and over the years we of all creeds and colors have fought for the basic equalities and civil rights that our founding fathers intended all men and women to have. This was a line that was drawn that no hatred or bigotry could erase. This is a line that you do not cross.
Alexander Hamilton, while commanding soldiers against the British, prevented what could have been a massacre. After the siege of Yorktown, one of Hamilton's captains, eager for revenge against the British, was about to run a prisoner through with his bayonet.
Hamilton stepped in personally to stop the man, and later reported proudly: "Incapable of imitating examples of barbarity and forgetting recent provocations, the soldiers spared every man who ceased to resist."
The Founding Fathers didn't treat prisoners decently solely because they were decent people. Although their writings and ideals reveal a constant and passionate interest in essential human rights, it's important to remember that they were also pragmatists. They understood that the Revolutionary cause had to take and hold the moral high ground in order to rally popular support and exhaust the British giant. And they knew that their necks were very literally on the line were they to be captured by the British. Mistreatment of British soldiers would come back on their heads a thousandfold.
Christian Science Monitor 2006
Shame
There have been famous moments in American history for which all Americans should be proud of, of which there are too many to count. Equally, there have been moments throughout American history which we should not be proud of. of which, sadly, there are also too many to count. To deny this is fallacy and foolishness. To address it and make amends is to the right thing to do. It is honorable and just, and it must be done in order for justice to be upheld, and our individual and national honor to be maintained.
Disgrace
The line has been crossed. It is not the first time in American history that the line has been crossed, but it is the first time it was done in the guise of being under the law, instead of outside the law or above it. General Washington said that those who would violate this premise and step across this line would bring, "shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country."
The people who have committed these offenses are incapable of shame. The rest of our nation must shame and disgrace these people, lest their ruin become our own.
"should any American soldier be so base and infamous as to injur[e] any [of them]... I do most earnestly enjoin you to bring him to such severe and exemplary punishment as the enormity of the crime may require. Should it extend to death itself, it will not be disproportional to its guilt at such a time and in such a cause."
If this is not enough of a call to justice coming to us from the mouth of our most celebrated founding father, let these words also serve as a reminder.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
- Benjamin Franklin
I will not sacrifice an inch of my freedom for safety. In much the same way, we should not fear bringing shame on our nation for bringing to light the disgrace of those who would make such a trade. This does not require a sacrifice of our freedom, just our pride.
Justice
Without pride, one can have no honor.