Reply #119: agreed

[onenote]

I think Will Pitt's posting are generally thoughtful and thought provoking, even when I don't fully agree with them. But I think some people have an over-inflated sense of their own significance. The folks posting here are, to the administration, no more than a pimple on the butt of the universe. They aren't afraid of us, they don't care about us, in fact they view us as useful foil to scare and motivate their base. Leaving aside the fact that the provisions of the law apply to alien "unlawful enemy combatants", I feel completely confident that I, and anyone else, can post pretty much anything they want about the war in Iraq or even about this administration (short of an threat against the physical well being of individuals) without fear of being snatched away. I don't imagine anything I'm going to say will change the minds of those who believe that they face some imminent threat, but then again, nothing they can say can change mind.

This law is an abomination, but not because it threatens me or Will Pitt. Its because it threatens everyone by setting this nation apart from the community of civilized peoples by denying prisoners basic rights and protections and in so doing it renders all Americans more vulnerable to injustices from other countries and makes us all less safe rather than more safe.