Having not been to Gitmo to see for myself, I am going to take it on trust that the photos of the detainees kneeling, wearing hoods, don't reflect their day to day existence. I hope they were taken for the shock value, in order to cause our enemies to think twice about messing with us.
Because, if not, it's a really crappy way to treat people.
And I think it's unkind, and unwise, to behave callously towards people who are going to come out the other end alive, and return to their former environments. This whole thing has taken on a grandiose aura, like Wagnerian Ragnarok - why feed people's egos, why feed people's collections of grievances and injustices? These are just murderous, psychopathic, mean little pissants - why make them into more than they are? Torturing them in some sick way enobles them in the eyes of their supporters.
I am disgusted by the attitudes of a lot of people I bump into in passing on the Internet, but for the most part they're the kind of people I'd never have anything to do with voluntarily, anyway.
But I voted for Bush and I voted for Cheney and I supported Ashcroft, and I expect the best of them.
Unlike you, I have more faith in Dubya than in Molly Ivans, but I hope my faith is not misplaced on this. Bagels and Froot Loops, indeed. I don't let my kids eat Froot Loops, too much sugar, too many chemicals. |
