Nation of Cowards?
I'm new on TPM, so if this blog is a little harsh, then I apologize.
When AG Holder made his famous, "we're a nation of cowards" statement in February 2009, there were howls and protests across the blogosphere. Holder's intent was to highlight how the USA has hidden behind tradition, laws, and excuses in order to avoid the ugly sin of racism. In other words, we 've been too afraid to act.
As a Soldier and a minority, I understood Holder's intent, but thought that he was too blunt and overbearing in his statement.
Then, on November 13, 2009, I see AG Holder stand up and declare that the murderers responsible for planning the September 11th attacks will face justice in New York City.
The right-wing response, sadly, only confirmed Holder's February speech. According to them, those terrorists are too dangerous to ever step foot on US soil. In their opinion, we're a bunch of incompetent idiots, fools for thinking that the rule of law can handle such scary folks.
Thus, according to the GOP, we are a nation of cowards.
If we, as a country, are too afraid to put mass murderers on trial - in the district where the trial was committed - because "they might get media visibility" or that "a lawyer can get them off," then we are truly a nation of cowards. And, like any other wimp, we deserve any treatment that the world's bullies give us, because we're too chickenshit to stand up for ourselves.
I did not go to war - in two different theaters - just to come home and watch my fellow citizens hide under their beds.
I still believe that we are a great country of great people. I still believe that we are braver and stronger than our enemies (including the GOP) think. I still believe that we are a nation that chooses the harder right over the easier wrong.
I still believe that we are not a nation of cowards. Mr. Holder showed that to both our friends and enemies today.
Where do you stand?
When AG Holder made his famous, "we're a nation of cowards" statement in February 2009, there were howls and protests across the blogosphere. Holder's intent was to highlight how the USA has hidden behind tradition, laws, and excuses in order to avoid the ugly sin of racism. In other words, we 've been too afraid to act.
As a Soldier and a minority, I understood Holder's intent, but thought that he was too blunt and overbearing in his statement.
Then, on November 13, 2009, I see AG Holder stand up and declare that the murderers responsible for planning the September 11th attacks will face justice in New York City.
The right-wing response, sadly, only confirmed Holder's February speech. According to them, those terrorists are too dangerous to ever step foot on US soil. In their opinion, we're a bunch of incompetent idiots, fools for thinking that the rule of law can handle such scary folks.
Thus, according to the GOP, we are a nation of cowards.
If we, as a country, are too afraid to put mass murderers on trial - in the district where the trial was committed - because "they might get media visibility" or that "a lawyer can get them off," then we are truly a nation of cowards. And, like any other wimp, we deserve any treatment that the world's bullies give us, because we're too chickenshit to stand up for ourselves.
I did not go to war - in two different theaters - just to come home and watch my fellow citizens hide under their beds.
I still believe that we are a great country of great people. I still believe that we are braver and stronger than our enemies (including the GOP) think. I still believe that we are a nation that chooses the harder right over the easier wrong.
I still believe that we are not a nation of cowards. Mr. Holder showed that to both our friends and enemies today.
Where do you stand?
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Welcome!
Glad I could find your post amid all the trash spam that has seemed to only have gotten worse here.
I totally agree and endorse your stance and thank you for this and your service.
Please, keep blogging here!
Rec'd!
November 14, 2009 3:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, great post.
November 14, 2009 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
NICE TO MEET YA.
Hey, its a harsh and cruel world most of the time.
I LOVE HARSH BLOGS. HAHAHAHA
And what is even better...it appears you perform your art in the dark of the night.
November 14, 2009 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
(Dick likes everyone to be Sleepless!)
November 14, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would add to the cowardice list all the elected Reps (Dems included) who went all ooga-booga about even TRANSFERRING Gitmo prisoners to American Maximum Security prisons--"Ooga-Booga, they might escape, or RADICALIZE other prisoners (as if the ones already convicted of terrorist acts are EVER out of isolation cells); OGGA-BOOGA, The President wants you attacked by Terr'ists!"
Yes, and welcome, Mr. Harsh.
(We need our Mellows harshed here and there...)
November 14, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Welcome, nicely done.
As a country, we must move past our inner demon of fear - in spite of those who continually dangle it in our faces like a blazing carrot. As we do, we will find our strength once again.
November 14, 2009 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
C S
It would appear that the GOP is really only making these waves in another of their obstructionist theater events to keep any politically positive resolution from happening during this administration.
It is all political; ALL.
I am ashamed for them. I think our country needs closure on this issue.
I am not familiar with Holder or his Holder's statements.
M. Paul
November 14, 2009 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I stand with you CS. From the inception of the "War on Terror" we've been ceding more and more of what we should be valuing and protecting most. Holder's decision helps put us back on a track towards justice and hopefully the values we as a nation truly stand for.
November 14, 2009 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I stand in West Virginia. Few cowards around here. But still way too many that have been propagandaized by Fox Noise. et al.
I have longed viewed that the war on terror should have been a big ass police action with appropriate prosecutions and punishments at the end.
CS, Thanks for your service and your blog post.
November 14, 2009 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rec'd and agree totally. The cowardice was stoked with the color-coded system in the Cheney/Bush regime; it was very effective.
Now they are even afraid of health care!
What's next? Puppies?
November 14, 2009 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I used to think that we were stronger and more resilient than the behavior of the chattering classes during the last 8 years would imply.
The cowardice that you describe is a major contributing factor to the success of the 9/11 attacks.
The gift that was 9/11 allowed authoritarian freaks to achieve success beyond all rational expectation.
November 14, 2009 8:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
This issue isn't about cowardice. That's the sad part. I wish it was as simple as fear of a black planet. But the GOP cheerleaders and centrist Dem sympathisers aren't afraid of trials. They're not afraid of holding foreign terrorists in American prisons.
They are using fear to push the police state. As long as we, the American superpower, can detain, imprison, torture and execute our enemies at will, then anyone can be an enemy... And the enemy has no legal defense. None. Anyone can get renditioned to a black site and vanish. This is what happened in Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Haiti. Enemies disappeared and never came back.
So, this isn't about cowardice. It is about winning the debate over civil rights and using fear to short circuit our better natures.
November 14, 2009 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
You make some very valid points. I've studied what happened in Peru, when Sendero Luminoso's terror tactics led President Fujimoro to crack down on all dissent (state sponsored killings, disappearances, torture, among other things).
When any political leader says that they don't trust the legal system to deal with criminals, then they are using fear to control the people.
Sadly, that's what the GOP is trying to do now.
November 14, 2009 10:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where do you stand? Cal Soldier
I stand for awarding trials to all captives.
I don't stand with the "coward" Holder, who tries only those whose convictions are 100% assured.
I don't stand for show trials -- here, there, or anywhere.
November 15, 2009 12:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ellen,
Actually, we stand on the same ground. All of those in Gitmo need to stand trial for their alleged deeds.
The problem that AG Holder has is that he's stuck with a made-up system that put hundreds of people in Gitmo with no real way of dealing with them. (I guess that they were just going to disappear).
While the Geneva Conventions doesn't really define "terrorists," it does define how to treat those captured under wartime conditions. Plus, the Uniformed Code of Military Justice has a clear method of handling prisoners of war. Both of these tenets have decades of precedent and trial & error behind them. Why didn't we stick to that?
(I won't even discuss the "enhanced interrogation techniques" that were so popular back in the day.)
As a consequence, Holder can't put them all on trial, because of the lack of evidence for the bulk of them. So, he has to do what he can - civilian trial for some, military tribunals for others, and yet more will eventually go free. Some truly guilty people will never face justice because of this screw up.
If you want to call out the cowards, start with the ones who left the White House on 20 January 2009. They're the ones who created the mess that Holder's trying to clean up.
November 15, 2009 1:35 AM | Reply | Permalink