With the depressing passage of the Military Commissions Act, widely believed to not only authorize indefinite detentions, but to also allow techniques widely recognized as torture by other countries, the use of coerced confessions, and allow the President to declare US Citizens as enemy combatants under vague standards; I wish to salute the following Republican heroes from the House and Senate:
- House
- Roscoe Bartlett R – MD
- Wayne Gilchrest R – MD
- Walter Jones R – NC
- Steven LaTourette R – OH
- James Leach R – IA
- Jerry Moran R – TX
- Ron Paul R – TX
- Senate
- Lincoln Chafee R – RI
These men are heroes because they defied their party on a matter of conscience and truth. They knew that we could try terrorists in open court as we’ve done several times in the past five years. They knew that we could question suspected terrorists without techniques that would shock the conscience of most Americans. They held more care for the honor of their nation than for the fortunes of their party. They were willing to stand up and say, “No, we won’t the standards of our enemies influence ours in any way. They hate our freedom? Then we won’t diminish it by a single bit.”
Finally, these men understood that the State is not omniscient. Just because the State says you’re a terrorist or other criminal doesn’t make it so. We’ve made such mistakes, thousands of them. Why did we free anyone from Abu Gharib or Guantanamo if we were so sure they were ALL terrorists when they were picked up? My eight Republican heroes understood that since the State is not God, free peoples cannot allow a single branch of goverment to act as policeman, judge, jury and executioner.
And because they understood these truths and refused to be moved by fearmongering, these eight Republican members of Congress are my heroes this day. May more heroes from both parties soon join them and set our country back on the path of justice.
Filed under: politics, security theater | Tagged: republicans
