> Bush says "We must not let foreign enemies use the forms of liberty
> > to destroy liberty itself." (CNN article
> > http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/11/29/inv.bush.terrorism/index.html) but
> > IMO these tribunals are a dire threat to liberty in and of
> > themselves. Why do they have to be secret, what does the
> > administration have to hide? Why no appeal?
> >
> > I think that when we feel the need to resort to fascism to combat
> > terrorism, the terrorists have triumphed.
>
> Bush & Co are quickly burning up every bit of goodwill and trust they had
> earned from me following 9/11. Ashcroft, especially, is bothersome - he
> seems to actually relish every safeguard for the accused that he can knock
> down.
I was wondering when Brin-L would take this up.. I've been quietly
steaming about this for the last 2+ weeks. :[
> I fully understand the need to keep some information secret, but I feel
> there are better ways to do so than by cloaking the entire proceedings. We
> have successfully protected the sites of terrorist trials in the past, and
> we can no doubt continue to do so. We are an open, free society, and we
> have no need whatsoever to resort to the judicial techniques of tinpot
> dictatorships and international thugs.
The issue seems to be that our justice department doesn't want its hands
tied by the normal rules of evidence, standards of guilt, etc., - heaven
forbid that anything slow down the pronouncement of guilt (because, as
Ashcroft said, "Terrorists don't deserve the same standard of justice" -
and God knows we NEVER try anyone who's not guilty..)
I think there are a few things going on. The administration is philosophically secretive. Think of Cheney's Energy Meetings. Held in secret, wouldn't even tell us who was there. They think they know the answers and don't trust the democracy they claim to represent (who can really blame them, they know that they really didn't win the election). Paradoxically they are also deathly afraid that the we will be attacked again and that they will be blamed. In order to prevent this from happening they (Ashcroft in particular) will do anything to keep the lid on potential terrorist activity. The administration doesn't really have any faith in the institutions of US government or the people so they believe they have the right and the need to do whatever it take! ! s.
-j-
