I’ve just returned from an afternoon of falalalalala-ing. I decked some halls, bought a few gifts, and found myself humming Jingle Bells while picking up sundries at my local Kroger. I love this time of year-the bright lights of Christmas trees peeking out of front windows, the wreaths on the doors, and the ringing of the Salvation Army bell. I take it all in and smile thinking that perhaps Peace on Earth is possible and maybe everyone really does believe in Goodwill toward man. And then I read this-
In his column for the Weekly Standard Bill Kristol makes his holiday to-do list for President Bush-thing’s he would like Bush to do before leaving office in January. Among the items to attend to-torture. It seems that Mr. Kristol would like President Bush to pardon those responsible for torturing prisoners in order to protect them, the torturers,from possible prosecution somewhere down the line.
Okay, so it is a stretch but maaaaaaaybe I can buy that line of thinking. We can say they were just following orders and had no choice in the matter (though I ‘d like to think that a truly courageous person would make the choice to refuse to participate in such morally reprehensible conduct). Given that they should be protected from prosecution for their conduct during the “war on terror”. But then Kristol takes it a step further:
(Emphasis added is mine)
One last thing: Bush should consider pardoning–and should at least be vociferously praising–everyone who served in good faith in the war on terror, but whose deeds may now be susceptible to demagogic or politically inspired prosecution by some seeking to score political points. The lawyers can work out if such general or specific preemptive pardons are possible; it may be that the best Bush can or should do is to warn publicly against any such harassment or prosecution. But the idea is this: The CIA agents who waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and the NSA officials who listened in on phone calls from Pakistan, should not have to worry about legal bills or public defamation. In fact, Bush might want to give some of these public servants the Medal of Freedom at the same time he bestows the honor on Generals Petraeus and Odierno. They deserve it.
The Medal of Freedom? For torturing people ?
The Medal of freedom is “the nation’s highest civilian award, recognizes exceptional meritorious service”.
It has been a source of great pain for me over the past eight years to know that our nation (or at least its’ government) has condoned torture and that we have engaged in the very activities which we have condemned throughout history when committed by others. Regardless of the cause, partisian politics aside, this is torture we’re talking about people TORTURE.
Over the course of the presidential campaign we were repeatedly reminded that John McCain was a hero because as a POW he was tortured. Then help me here-
McCain torture victim = hero.
And now
Torturers=heroes.
It doesn’t add up for me.
How can we call ourselves the greatest nation on earth if we not only condone and excuse cruelty to others, but then reward it with high honors?
At a time when we as a “Christian nation” celebrate our holiest of days I can’t help but wonder if Bill Kristol would find Jesus, a man who preached peace and love and kindness toward all , worthy of the Medal of Freedom.
Sadly I doubt it.
We’d probably just crucify him all over again.
http://www.medaloffreedom.com/
http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/876qyutv.asp?pg=1
1 Comment
November 30, 2008 at 1:40 pm
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