Amnesty slams U.S. on human rights
CNN.com - Amnesty slams U.S. on human rights - May 25, 2005
Why am I not surprised by this....
Prisoners or not, I think it's time for the US of A to take a good hard look at itself in a mirror (you know one of those mirrors that doesn't tell you JUST the things you WANT to hear).
We should be ashamed of ourselves...
Why am I not surprised by this....
Prisoners or not, I think it's time for the US of A to take a good hard look at itself in a mirror (you know one of those mirrors that doesn't tell you JUST the things you WANT to hear).
We should be ashamed of ourselves...
posted by Colette at 2:48 PM
8 Comments:
The AI report of 2005 does a wonderful job of slamming the US and Israel for alleged human rights abuses in the Middle East. Glaringly absernt from the report is ven a single mention of ongoing "Palestinian" Arab terorism that is responsib;le for the slaughter and maimimg of innocent me, women and children in Israel. Such a biased source hardly leads me to believe that we have anything to be ashamed of for our "abuses" of Gitmo prisoners.
ALL ABUSE IS WRONG!
Arab terrorism my ass.
I hate blanket statements like that - and you should know that about me by now (or perhaps not)...
Look I don't think we (Americans) are doing a good or noble thing being an 'avenger' for other countries - or fighting for truth justice and the American-as-apple-fucking-pie way, and frankly, the whole Israeli thing gets old for me - and a lot of other people too (and no I am not being anti-Israeli) - as an aside though - there are just as many Palestinian innocents being slaughtered and frankly my dear that's bullshit in my book - I don't really give a flying fuck who the Israeli's think the land belongs to (and here now I am going to make a really bold statement - the Palestinians DESERVE a homeland my dear - put THAT in your pipe and smoke it) - don't you see that children are dying on both sides??? It's just plain wrong and you will never in a million years convince me otherwise (I mean are YOU OK with slaughtering innocent Arab kids?) It's high time to think about why we feel the need (as humans period) to wage war against each other.
It's never an answer - never - not for me it isn't. Sorry to dissapoint you....
The people we 'deem' terrorists in these places need to be allowed a fair trial - let's try and be civilised shall we - wouldn't that teach them more than torture?
Ya think?
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf3.html
Colette - Pull the talons back in - I merely am stating that, absent a reasonable and balanced report from AI, I am at a loss as to why anyone thinks that this particular group is the be-all and end-all of factual information on what is reallly going on. I also am at a loss to explain why there are so many here in the US that think that terrorism is a bogeyman conjured up by the US in order to invade Iraq. And Arab terrorism has been around for at least a century in the Mideast.
If the comments of a Jewish supporter of Israel (albeit a Deomcrat) are too biased for you, why not have a look at what a liberal, lesbian Muslim woman in favor of equal rights has to say about Islam and Israel - Irshad Manji, "The Trouble With Islam".
http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/
Particularly interesting is the section of her book where she goes into detail explaining exactly why Israel is far from the "apartheid state" that many accuse her of being. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and a lot of it centers around the Mideast.
As a human being, a Jew and an American I do not for one minute take what my government (or Israel's, for that matter) does to be the epitome of perfection. However, I will be damned if I will hang my head in shame over "facts" that international groups such as AI and the UN spew forth while completely ignoring those nations that have far, far, worse human rights abuses such as any given Islamic state.
How women can defend this kind of behavior is particularly a mystery to me but here's an example:
http://auterrific.mu.nu/archives/084543.php
While I would agree that all abuse is wrong, I consistently ask those whose message is "peace at any cost" how, exactly, we are to respond to those who do not want peace? I have yet to receive an answer.
As far as this goes, " the whole Israeli thing gets old for me", believe me, it's been no picnic for us, either.
My dear Mark - I AM sorry...didn't mean to offend; And you know I love you and Linda and all of you guys over at Auterrific...
No I can't imagine it being a 'picnic' watching people in Israel die because of fundamentalists who think it's their 'God' or no 'God' - however you have to admit there are Jews like that too. And they are just as wrong.
Just think - it's not easy for me to watch the English murder the Irish - but THAT'S been going on forever as well and my ancestors have suffered - but while I'd like to see England get the fuck out of Ireland - it's not going to happen - and it doesn't mean I want the IRA to bomb 10 Downing Street.
I honour what Amnesty International says because I find them to be one of the few sources willing to point out when ANY country is being abusive. And I will NOT back down from my opinion that WE here in America have been abusive in this instance. I am sorry that I don't trust the Jewish faction reporting on Jewish concerns - any more than I'd trust the Arab faction reporting on Arab concerns - it's just always going to be too biased. But war is war and I am sorry I don't believe in it or want it - period - I will say it again - we as the human community need to come up with a better way. Peace should not come at the cost of innocent children, women, men.
I happen to think it all boils down to whose God is better - this is a conflict that's been going on for thousands of years - it is never going to be solved unless someone decides the bloodshed is not worth it....
Do you think it's all been worth it Mark? Can't we come up with something better or are we all determined to end this world in some horrible conflict.
I can't stand American answers to these questions - it makes me ashamed. We ARE abusive, we DO think we should be policing the world and if you talk to people from other countries, they don't like our foreign policies. And they don't appreciate our 'whip a little Democracy on them' shit either. We need to be world leaders looking to end the bloodshed NOT make sure we are on the supposed 'right side' when the smoke clears.
Terrorism isn't going to end because we've captured Sadam or if and when we capture Osama bin Laden - it's just not, and we are naive to think so - 100 more will rise up and take their places - so it's time in my humble opinion to either let them blow the fuck out of each other and then pick up what meager pieces remain - or try to build peace not more war machinery.
Oh and one more thing...while I am thinking about it - in answer to your 'age old' question about 'Peace at any cost' - can you (or people who favour war as a means to end conflict - sorry but how convoluted is that?) - can you all explain to me why it has to be WAR at any cost?
You know what my dear, I am not asking ANYONE to go fight for me. Really. If someone shows up on my doorstep with a gun to kill my kids you better believe I'll fight. THEN. I don't feel Sadam was a threat - never did. I feel this again boils down to religion and greed (over oil) - pure and simple. And neither are worth killing for in my book - I will take the bus or ride a bike. Would you? How about all you out their with SUVs you want peace? Stop riding in those gas-guzzling monster and show the Middle East we don't need their oil. Gee no one want to solve the energy crisis instead let's have a war over oil - sounds like a great solution to me (I am seriously sickened by the way we percieve things - we must be one of the greediest countries I know and the laziest) - if you go to places where petrol costs $8/gallon do you think they take their cars everywhere? Think again....
I don't owe ANYONE an explanation or an answer for why I favour a peaceful way of co-existing - I DO want an answer as to why we have a 'need' to kill each other.
Just because they did it in the Bible doesn't make it right.
It might be even more naive of me - but somehow I think we can rise above this shit to become a bit more enlightened. But perhaps you (and others) feel that we humans are simply too pig-headed to solve their problems without shedding blood....
You want an answer, Mark - there's my answer - we deserve a better world, I want my friggin' grand-children to learn the true meaning of tolerance and compassion and living in peace and harmony...
How's THAT for an answer?
NO MORE WAR!
Happy Memorial Day everyone.
Colette - Great answer, lots of food for thought, but I wasn't offended nor do I mean to offend. Thanks.
I need to digest your answer but I just wanted to respond and say, "Shalom". Which, as I'm sure you know, means "Peace".
I readily agree that there are Extremists of all stripes and I do not agree with that type of thinking.
About this:
"You want an answer, Mark - there's my answer - we deserve a better world, I want my friggin' grand-children to learn the true meaning of tolerance and compassion and living in peace and harmony...
How's THAT for an answer?
NO MORE WAR!"
Amen. But first you'll have to find a way to do away with greed!!!!
Shalom, Mark...
Thank hon....
I know what you mean and yes love and peace ARE the right answers - but - in order to achieve those goals we need everyone's help - that's probably where the pipe dream comes in...
I don't think we are ever going to do away with greed - unless we try to make sure everyone has what they need - food, shelter, clothing, education (we should probably start with food and education).
But one can hope, right?
I just get tired of being labled a lunatic because I am FOR peace and yes I believe it should be peace not war at any cost. If not for the sake of futrue generations then why else?
I am not saying I am not grateful for the young people in the service of our country but I am saying that enough is enough and if we wanted to wage a full blown war on someone (at that time) - shouldn't it have been the guy who caused 9/11??? NOT Sadam??? I think I'd be more likely to get behind the blowing up of Osama bin Laden....not that I am for blowing up anyone. And not to quote Sting, but isn't there a line in one of his songs where he sings: 'blowing up his children would only prove him right....history will teach us nothing'
*sigh*
It's sad but with fundamentalist factions such as what we find in the Middle East, it's sadly true....
Thanks for giving me some food for thought too.
C -
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