Sometimes, the universe forces you to sit up and pay attention to an issue. You try to ignore it, suppress it, bury your head in the sand and just move-on. But everywhere you turn, there it is. For me, this has just happened with illegal detentions.
Don't worry; I haven't actually been detained. But from the books I read, to the newspapers I scan, to the radio shows I listen to, the topic is chasing me. And I can’t ignore it anymore. More importantly, we, as a nation, shouldn’t ignore it anymore.
In 2007, Naomi Wolf wrote an article for The Guardian about the 10 steps that dictators take to destroy democracy. Here’s Step #2:
“Once you have got everyone scared, the next step is to create a prison system outside the rule of law (as Bush put it, he wanted the American detention centre at Guantánamo Bay to be situated in legal "outer space") - where torture takes place.
At first, the people who are sent there are seen by citizens as outsiders: troublemakers, spies, "enemies of the people" or "criminals". Initially, citizens tend to support the secret prison system; it makes them feel safer and they do not identify with the prisoners. But soon enough, civil society leaders - opposition members, labour activists, clergy and journalists - are arrested and sent there as well.”
We all know that Bush created gulag’s during his presidency; Guantanamo, Camp Cropper, and black sites are just a few examples. There were even some created on American soil, such as Camp Greyhound. As one blogger wrote:
If you are not familiar with Camp Greyhound, you should be. If there was any doubt as to whether American citizens could be portaged off to a Gitmo like gulag with no due process right here on American soil, Camp Greyhound will disabuse you of such notion.
The national bestselling book Zeitoun, (which I just finished reading and highly recommend), describes the existence of this camp. According to the Buffalo News this “camp” was:
An outdoor jail built in New Orleans’ central bus station within hours of the hurricane’s landfall at the behest of the federal Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. Similar to Guantanamo Bay, Camp Greyhound (the guards’ name for it) was a kennel, runs of wire fencing and concrete flooring; there was nothing to sit or sleep on, and toilet facilities were portables outside the enclosures… Zeitoun was not formally charged, was not read Miranda rights, was not allowed a phone call. He was physically and verbally abused, pepper sprayed, strip-and body-cavity searched; and was accused of being a “terrorist” during his processing at the “camp.” The details of his captivity only become increasingly outrageous.
Being gifted this book was the first sign that the universe was trying to tell me something. Then, this morning, I listened to “This American Life”while I was getting ready for work and heard the story of Sarah, a single mother who worked as an interpreter for American soldiers in Iraq for several years. What did she get in return? An illegal detention. And if that's how we treat our friends in Iraq, I don't even want to think about how we treat our enemies.
And if you think that these things are not happening under Obama, then it's time to wake-up.
The straw that really broke the camel's back was reading about the government’s treatment of Bradley Manning, who allegedly leaked State Department cables to Wikileaks. The Washington Post just ran a great op-ed about how Manning, who is currently detained in a maximum security facility in Virginia, doesn’t deserve the humiliating treatment that he’s been subjected to, which includes being blinded temporarily, forced to sleep naked and confined to his cell for 23 hours a day. And he has yet to be convicted of any crime! Whatever happened until innocent until proven guilty?
Perhaps even more disturbingly, when State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley spoke the truth by calling Manning’s treatment “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid,” he was forced to resign. Seriously Obama? I really thought that you were better than that (though your recent war on whistleblowers has also been seriously disturbing). You’re a constitutional lawyer for Pete’s sake; you should know better.
All of this reminds me of the famous quote about the rise of the Nazis:
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
First, substitute the word “terrorists” for "communists".
Then substitute the word "trade unionists" for… actually, never mind, we've already got that one covered.
Then substitute "whistleblower" or "Muslim" or "New Orleans resident" or "Navy veteran" for "Jews".
I don’t know about you, but I think that this is seriously scary stuff.
So how do we stop this? Here are a few ideas; I’d love to hear more:
1. Sign a petition on Change.orgrequesting better treatment of Bradley Manning. Better yet, call the White House switchboard(202) 456-1414 or (202) 456-1111) and make this request .
2. Sign a petition urging the administration to honor habeas corpus rights for all detainees held by the U.S., whether at home or abroad. While you’re at it, sign the Center for Constitutional Right’s petition to close Guantanamo
3. Spread the word. Share the Washington Post op-ed on your Facebook page, buy a friend a copy of Zeitoun, and publicize any stories about illegal detention that you see reported in the media.
4. Donate to a nonprofit groups working on these issues. Examples include the Center for Constitutional Rights, ACLU, and the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center. I’d love to hear additional suggestions!