It's out of character for me to make a list of any kind, really, even
for groceries. But this morning I was thinking about all the rights
abuses committed by the Bush administration, both human and
civil. I decided to compile a list because this is not the country I
grew up in, and it's not the one I envisioned for my children. Am I
alone in wondering what has happened to my country?
When you were growing up in the United States of America, or even as recently as 6 years ago, could you ever even imagine that your beloved country would be one in which:
Your government spies on ordinary American citizens without any kind balance or check on the power to do so? No warrants, no court permission?
The use of torture is condoned, and even defended on the floor of the United States Senate by the vice president of your country?
Secret prisions exist for use of torture and prisoners are even
summarily sent to other countries in order that they may be tortured
with abandon in complete secrecy?
Political prisoners in your country disappear and are imprisoned
indefinitely without hope of any legal hearing, defense or trial?
A sovereign country which posed no threat to your country is attacked by your country, and that your country's leaders would commit forgery, twist evidence and lie repeatedly in order to justify the attack?
Anyone in your country who questions or objects to any of the above policies is threatened or criticized for being unpatriotic?
Special audiences are screened and set up at all presidential speeches so that the presidential advisors can have control over their televised reactions?
Individuals who appear at these specially-screened speeches who might potentially even vaguely disagree are arrested?
Reporters are hand-picked and questions are tightly controlled in
press conferences?
Reporters who are courageous enough to report critically of your
government fear being fired, or are fired from their jobs?
Individuals are paid to pose as reporters in order to plant stories
that are favorable to your country's policies?
Ordinary citizen's library reading habits are monitored?
I grew up in a country in which I was taught that our privacy, freedom of speech and the press was a sacred right, and where our reputation and commitment to human rights was trusted. In 5 short years what have we become?