Requiring Torture, Demoralizing Us

I apologize, this should probably be just an entry in an open thread, but I want to record my feeling here where they are easy to find.

I can't believe the darkness I feel at what I've seen transpire over the last 48 hours, and worse, I believe that this is exactly what Bush and Rove want out of me. I keep thinking two things:

1) This is worse than people think. It not only allows, but now requires, our military to engage in war crimes at the presidents discretion; and makes "enemy combatants" of us all.

2) The whole way this went down was designed to demoralize the left. To leave us disillusioned with our Democratic leaders, and less likely to work and show up on this election. I fear it may work.

Who do I believe 2. Talking to Reid's office, it is apparent they thought they had enough votes to pass some amendments. That means someone on the other side of the isle punked them--promising and then withholding support. This makes all the Democrat look weak, after all, even McCain pretended to stand up to Bush. Our side didn't even do that.

Even more than energizing their base, this demotivates ours. You can see it here, and I feel it myself. I can't believe we didn't put up a fight--just some pretty speeches with no teeth. And the fact we couldn't filibuster means many on our side choose fear over morals.

But we must fight on. Don't let this work, please, because point 1 should cause your hearts to quail. Without oversight from a Democratic congress, their is literally nothing to stop this President.

Before, a brave CIA agent or MP could legally refuse to participate in torture. This kept the abuses somewhat in check, as most people have some human conscience left. But his removes that. There is now "clarity," which means if they say beat someone half-to-death, the soldier has to do it. If they say threaten to rape his children, they have to do it.

And the real poison pill, the expanding of the definition of illegal enemy combatant. It's so broad that it means, basically, anyone who in any way helps someone the President doesn't like--you fit. It applies to conflicts both internal and external, both to aliens and citizens alike. No trial, no recourse.

Of course Bush won't pull the trigger on that right way. But nothing stops it now. And I've seen us fall so far so fast that I don't find it unbelievable we'll see it used in our lifetime.

Unless we make change. Unless we  can fight of the darkness and despair that Bush and Rove WANT US TO FEEL! We must purge the Senate of the Republican traitors who sold out our Constitution--and then we can focus on cleaning up our own house, and ridding us of the cowards who support our ideals only when it is convenient.

But for now, I'm having trouble feeling angry. I'm just sad.

•  Help fight the darkness.

  Help me get angry. Tell me who I should support.

  Everyone in my State voted for this (freaking Utah). I need to put my money to use elsewhere.

  by DJ Adequate on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 02:53:38 PM PDT

  •  Point #2

    The whole way this went down was designed to demoralize the left. To leave us disillusioned with our Democratic leaders, and less likely to work and show up on this election. I fear it may work.

    That is most correct! One of the Senators from my state is Second in the Senate--Mitch McConnell--I could see it coming for a couple of months but never suspected it would be the torture stuff, just other things, but he has been touting those 'tools' without naming them, and calling for the Dems to step up and say something about it--in other words 'baiting' the Dems'

    He sends out press releases, I read them, he sends them to the media, so they know what they are supposed to 'focus upon' the Dems NOT saying 'anything" because, well, golly gee, here's old Mitch calling on them to say something,

    This was Rove's "Hail Mary Pass" as Andrew Sullivan noted on November 10th when he laid out the Rovian attack, which now we know was contrived, to whip McCain, Warren and Graham into shape--which he did--to 'unite' the Repubs because the Dems were so 'united' and he couldn't let that pass.

    And we all know of Rove's 3-D strategy--Distract, decieve and divide--he wants to divide we Democrats any way he can, and it looks like this is sure working in the short run.

    Anyway we've got to do what we can to get energy back, because this is only the beginning, things will get really tough after this--AND that will test each and everyone of us like never before!

    Remember, it is the Republicans who are the enemies of America and the Constitution, it is the Republicans who have no conscience, only a thrist for power, blood, death and torture!

    by Wary on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 04:34:54 PM PDT

•  I think the fact that this REQUIRES torture...

  ...that soldiers MUST engage in whatever torture Bush sees fit to deciderize on - that bears repeating.

  by luckydog on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:07:30 PM PDT

  •  Good point!

    AND I didn't know that, I bet a whole lot of people don't know that either, especially parents--soooo--I'm going to push that point "Oh, so you have children who want to 'serve'?--That means they will be forced to torture 'enemy combatants'--my what a shame, all that time spent in teaching our people good, moral values, will be wiped away because they will be forced to torture people--gee, I wonder how 'easy' it will be for them to forget that once they are home?"

    by Wary on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 04:22:57 PM PDT

•  torture degrades the species

  dehumanising behavior makes both parties less human. the bushists appear to think that they can do it until they just need glasses or something.

  by rasbobbo on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:08:41 PM PDT

•  This won't survive its first court challenge....

  ...and from what I hear, a lot of right-wingers who have brains heard about the habeas corpus trashing and said "WTF?!?!"  So it's not going to be the right-wing rallying point people think it is.

  This isn't the end of the world.  Rove just wants you to think it is.  

  by Phoenix Woman on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:14:51 PM PDT

  •  I know you are right about Rove

    And I hope you are right about the courts. I do have some Republican friends who are very concerned about this. I just hope politicians on our side will speak to them.

    by DJ Adequate on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:34:18 PM PDT

•  Stages of grieving

  It's appropriate to be sad about this. It's a huge loss. So much changes because of it. I myself might still be in denial, not yet reached sadness. It is mind-boggling that this happened.

  Support those who are vocal about renouncing it. Those who are willing and able to speak out. And not remain silent.

  by grayscale on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:17:32 PM PDT

  •  Powell, et al

    Who spoke out against it in the Senate, then there are those retired military people who spoke out against it at the Democratic Policy Committee oversight hearing, Bill Clinton, Olberman, to name but a few.

    Anyone lese with suggestions?

    by Wary on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 04:18:42 PM PDT

•  I think your analysis is right on.

  I especially like your point that this law strips soldiers of a legal peg on which to hang refusal.  I thought of a connected point:  the law makes us all accomplices and puts us in the position where many of us will feel like we must support  our country's militarism no matter what.  Any back down could get us all in legal hotwater.  It's not just the "deciders" anymore.  We are all on the torture train now.  We are all accomplices.  I think that's where Bushco wants us.  In the world defined by the famous statement "you are either for us or against us," we are all now committed by our shared culpability.

  Or that's what they would like us to think.

  Your point about demoralization is right on too, and crucial, I think.  The more I've thought about this, the more I've seen that too.  It's the pattern, isn't it?  I think Hartmann was talking about this today.  Before the election, they make the Dems bow down before some hideous legislation that demoralizes the Dems base and perks up the Pubs base.

  Well, it's not going to work on me this time.  I'm more motivated than I was before.  I'm more motivated than I've ever been.  

  One of the articles on the front page made this very important point:  it's our fault too.  Maybe our Senators lack imagination, courage and commitment.  But it's our job to get the right people in there and to give them the backup they need and not to wait till the last minute either.

  by epppie on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:22:58 PM PDT

  •  Thanks.

    Very well put.

    by DJ Adequate on Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 03:50:48 PM PDT