Last week marked the 10-year anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. For 10 years, the United States has used the prison to detain “enemy combatants” and suspected terrorists.
They are often detained without a warrant, without knowing the charges against them and without any civil, Constitutional or human rights. They are subjected to interrogation methods like waterboarding, which many consider torture. However, the U.S. prosecuted Japanese soldiers for torture after World War II when they waterboarded American troops. Apparently it’s only acceptable when we do it.
Guantanamo Bay, or “Gitmo,” has been a stain on America’s reputation and character for a decade. American officials and agencies have ignored international calls to close the prison and refused to try those held there. Gitmo continues to hold suspects indefinitely, with no effort made to try them for their crimes.
Why has the prison remained open?
In his 2008 campaign, President Barack Obama promised to begin the process of closing the prison, trying the prisoners we can and releasing those held without sufficient evidence. That promise was quickly broken. Indeed, President Obama has expanded the ability of the executive branch to hold terrorist suspects indefinitely with the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill was supported by congressmen on both the left and the right.
Americans seem content to live in fear as we allow our civil rights to be eroded in hope of increasing security.
This is not an argument against “big government.” The government has not taken anything away that we did not give freely. And the government is not the only threat to our civil rights: We face more threats to privacy and free speech from private businesses and corporations every day than we do from the government.
Guantanamo Bay is not the cause of any of this, but it is a symbol. A symbol of our willingness to give away our Constitutional rights. A symbol of the mistakes we have made in the War on Terror. A symbol — not of America’s commitment to freedom and justice — but of our willingness to compromise our values in the name of fear.
America claims to uphold the principles of democracy and to be a global defender of freedom. But Guantanamo Bay proves to the world that America’s only motivation is its own fear and self-interest.
Ten years is enough. It is time for Guantanamo Bay to be closed so that America can finally reclaim its position as the world’s leader in human rights.
But closing Gitmo alone isn’t sufficient. We need to address the root causes of the prison. Americans must demand that their leaders stand against torture and support human rights. And that means Americans must set aside their fears: Fear of attack from outside, but also fear of big government. We must believe in our country and in our government’s ability to do the right thing.
And we must do whatever it takes to ensure that our government lives up to those ideals.
– See more at: file:///Volumes/argonaut$/stories/sections/opinion/stories/2012/Jan/18/ten_years_too.html#sthash.mkoQgQlm.dpuf
They are often detained without a warrant, without knowing the charges against them and without any civil, Constitutional or human rights. They are subjected to interrogation methods like waterboarding, which many consider torture. However, the U.S. prosecuted Japanese soldiers for torture after World War II when they waterboarded American troops. Apparently it’s only acceptable when we do it.
Guantanamo Bay, or “Gitmo,” has been a stain on America’s reputation and character for a decade. American officials and agencies have ignored international calls to close the prison and refused to try those held there. Gitmo continues to hold suspects indefinitely, with no effort made to try them for their crimes.
Why has the prison remained open?
In his 2008 campaign, President Barack Obama promised to begin the process of closing the prison, trying the prisoners we can and releasing those held without sufficient evidence. That promise was quickly broken. Indeed, President Obama has expanded the ability of the executive branch to hold terrorist suspects indefinitely with the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill was supported by congressmen on both the left and the right.
Americans seem content to live in fear as we allow our civil rights to be eroded in hope of increasing security.
This is not an argument against “big government.” The government has not taken anything away that we did not give freely. And the government is not the only threat to our civil rights: We face more threats to privacy and free speech from private businesses and corporations every day than we do from the government.
Guantanamo Bay is not the cause of any of this, but it is a symbol. A symbol of our willingness to give away our Constitutional rights. A symbol of the mistakes we have made in the War on Terror. A symbol — not of America’s commitment to freedom and justice — but of our willingness to compromise our values in the name of fear.
America claims to uphold the principles of democracy and to be a global defender of freedom. But Guantanamo Bay proves to the world that America’s only motivation is its own fear and self-interest.
Ten years is enough. It is time for Guantanamo Bay to be closed so that America can finally reclaim its position as the world’s leader in human rights.
But closing Gitmo alone isn’t sufficient. We need to address the root causes of the prison. Americans must demand that their leaders stand against torture and support human rights. And that means Americans must set aside their fears: Fear of attack from outside, but also fear of big government. We must believe in our country and in our government’s ability to do the right thing.
And we must do whatever it takes to ensure that our government lives up to those ideals.
– See more at: file:///Volumes/argonaut$/stories/sections/opinion/stories/2012/Jan/18/ten_years_too.html#sthash.mkoQgQlm.dpuf