Questions for the Interrogators Response

So, I'm pretty much stunned by what this article is telling us. Yes, I know there is quite a bit of bias included in it, but most of the information has to be correct to be posted on a trusted new source such as MSNBC. The fact that our government underminded the protocol set up by the Geneva Conventions shows just how hipocritical our government actually is. We condemn other countries for going against certain rules of war and moral standings, but right after we condemn these countries we turn around and try to do the same with the specifications of the long standing and accepted Geneva Conventions. "Let's hope the debate will end with the United States' embracing a position that will allow America to reclaim the moral high ground. " This quote from the article pretty much sums it up. The fact is nothing about the Geneva Convention rules is "quaint" or "obsolete." There's a difference between setting up specific guidelines for the Geneva Conventions and abolishing certain rules to make it acceptable to engage rough tactics when dealing with prisoners. The fact that the United States, the "beacon on a hill," for other countries, wants to be the first to "narrow the Geneva Conventions" really shows the real intentions of our government and what the aim has been ever since the events of 9/11. All I have to ask is what happens the first time a U.S. soldier is captured in a foreign country and the specifications of the Geneva Conventions are changed. This soldier is tortured within an inch of its life, and because of our government's actions, there is absolutely nothing we can do. They didn't kill him, they just used harsher ways to coax information from an American soldier. This isn't illegal according to the new specifications of Geneva Conventions. Whoops. What happens when a call comes back to this soldiers family saying that he or she may never walk again because of decisions made by their own government and that there will be no repurcutions because of it. Sorry.

In America, we all have the right to a trial, being treated fairly by all officers of the law in transportation of a prisoner as well as in prison. We all have the right to the idea of innocent until proven guilty. Terrorists should have every single one of these rights, just the same as American citizens. The more we have situations such as Abu Ghraib coming into the public eye, the more condescending apprehensive other nations will be towards our use of controlled force as well as volunteering their help in foreign matters concerning terrorists. One of the worst things, however, is when the public turns on a person before their trial. By doing so, we are putting their ability to have a fair trial in jeopardy. The American public has quite a bit of pull in and out of the courtroom and because of this many people have gotten unfair and very biased trials.
The government should not allow torture in most situations. The fact is, however, there are times when we need to torture one person to get answers that will save thousands of other people's lives. Unfortunately, the amount of torture as well as who has the authority to determine when, where and who will be torturing is the big issue. When is the situation so severe that we need use harsh measures to get the information we need to save these lives? Without strict guidelines, there cannot be any use of excess torture. Without these guidelines we turn into a savage nation without any confines to what we are willing to do to get answers and information from terrorists. While there are many questions to answer, the one thing I am sure of is that without the ability for excess use of power against terrorist organizations, we become much more susceptible to further attacks on our nation and its people.

My 9/11 Response

The first thing that really caught my eye and mind from this article was the line, "people either got away from the towers or they got killed. " This goes to show you, bluntly, that it was an extreme struggle for life and many didn't make it out. I find it rather humorous, however, that from the last blog, people had to add things to make the story of September 11 more interesting and what not. I find this story much more riveting than anything I could see on t.v. that is made up. The public is interested in the truth when it comes to these kinds of topics. Yes, we may watch shows like the Real World, Big Brother or Flavor of Love, but we as a country are not as shallow as these shows. The fact that this is a first hand account adds a sense of realism and a "this really happened" feel to it. In Superior, New York seems worlds away, but this story brings September 11 into our minds as something real, something that affected hundreds of relatives, loved ones and our country.

This day changed the course of our country so much, yet until we read things like this it doesn't even seem part of our world. I'm sure people felt the same when Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japan. There was an ocean separating us from this incident, yet we still see its effects on today's society everytime a racial slur is shouted at someone of asian descent or looking at pictures of our great grandparents who fought in the war and only guessing the things they saw. Unfortunately, it takes these types of incidents to make us look at the world around us and realize that we are taking life for granted.

An Untrue 'Path'?

I couldn't believe the nerve of some people. As a nation, we have a right to see the whole story and true story about events happening. If I was in Clinton's shoes, I also wouldn't appreciate the untrue telling of the events of 9/11. Unfortunately, there are those out there who are only after t.v. ratings and money, leading the American people to have more of a negative view of Clinton than needed. The movie should most definitely be fixed to include the truth and only the truth. The truth is good enough to be viewed on television. It was a monumental day and it's a slap in the face to all involved whether they be survivors, fire men, workers, and the President to change the events from anything but the exact truth.

Where was I on 9/11/01?

On September 11, 2001 I was sitting in my religion class at Cathedral. An announcement came over the P.A. system saying that there had been an attack of some sort in New York. We were released from religion to go to science. We walked in turned on the t.v. and two minutes later the second plane hit the other tower. Some people were crying and all the teachers were huddled together, not saying a word or even looking at us. Throughout the day more and more information came in and eventually it hit me how much this was going to change the future of our country.