Hear No Evil, See No Evil
In case you haven’t figured out, I’ve been swamped this week (I drove to CO to help my mom pack up her house so I’ve been packing boxes for the last several days). Thanks to bmaz for minding the liquor cabinet (and more importantly, for keeping on top of the news).
In the meantime, there have been two unfortunate developments in torture accountability. First, the House approved Lieberman’s amendment withholding torture photos from FOIA. With the House’s approval, it becomes virtually assured that we will see neither the remaining Abu Ghraib abuse photos, nor some of the photos in CIA’s FOIA.
And so Congress becomes fully complicit in covering up Bush’s crimes.
In addition, Judge Royce Lamberth ruled against the ACLU’s efforts to force the government to release unredacted Combatant Status Review Tribunal transcripts. As you’ll recall, the government released slightly less redacted CSRTs earlier this year. We learned what we already knew–that KSM had lied under torture (though we learned one subject he lied about–Osama bin Laden’s location). In the guise of protecting sources and methods (methods that, most people acknowledge, include torture), the government is withholding unredacted CSRTs.
Between the two events, the government–with the Court’s and Congress’ help–continues to bury the evidence of Bush’s torture program.
I guess we should all know, by now, that if
– We don’t hear about it, or We don’t see it –
Well then, it just Never Happened…the Evil that shattered the minds and bodies of other human beings…simply Never Got Done.
And, Viola!, No One is to Blame!
And even if it happened to YOU, it just never happened.
That is what happened to me and Congress just covered it up. That is what they do.
Who do I have to blame?
Only myself. I didn’t HAVE to be an activist, it was my choice. I volunteered. I was obviously a fool to think it would be alright for a regular citizen (and mother) like me to engage in simple politics. Only special people like Dianne Feinstein are allowed to do that. They tried to tell me…
What I learned from engaging in civic activity is I should have expected to be slandered and libeled, have my life threatened, and be raped; I should also have expected to be tortured by the state ~ with NO redress ~ from my duly elected representatives.
That is what I learned from MY political experience because that is what they did, what they normally do. Everybody thought I was crazy to not know this already.
Kaiser psychologists all knew it perfectly well. They thought that if I actually believed, in my foolish, girl scouty way that Congress would defend MY civil rights, or The Constitution, it only PROVED how completely delusional (and thus deserving of rape and torture) I was. Cute how their attitude, prejudice, religious judgement and failure to follow the law turned into state sponsored, self fulfilling, terrorism.
Like they were in on it… Did they intend it that way?
I don’t think there was ANY WAY I could have gotten out of being raped once the psychologists got involved in slandering me, no way… They totally set me up, it was so dogmatic and political. There was no escaping it.
But my rape and torture was only a reality for me. For everyone else, like you said, “it just Never Happened…the Evil that shattered the minds and bodies of other human beings…simply Never Got Done.”
Their circular arguments work perfectly well too because they always agree to cover up for each other. My only redress is to expose it and hope that other people will care enough to do something about it.
My local paper never cared, which makes me very angry with them. Recently I called the editor and gave him an earful about how HE personally was a part of MY torture and how illegal that all was. I have been blogging about it for years so there is a record of it. I suspect the FBI listens in on my calls, I know my allegations shook him up. They have a new editor now, I wonder if the old one got fired, or quit. I bet there was a meeting with upper management about my phone call.
Conspiracy to commit and cover up torture of US citizens on US soil SHOULD be a very, very serious crime. But with OUR congress and newspapers, it is a perfectly normal activity. So normal, in fact, it is completely unmentionable.
But, isn’t that a criminal cover up? Where is the FBI? Or is investigating congress not in their bailiwick?
I know the effect that reading AZ’s CSRT had on me. To hear him describe in his own voice the effect of being deprived of his journals was very powerful, memorable, affecting. Every bit of evidence revealed makes the record harder to turn away from, which of course is why some people want to suppress as many bits as they can.
I hope that the visit and packing sessions with your mother went well, EW. Sending empathetic vibes your way.
Oh, it’s still going, believe me. We’ve made it through a room and a closet, leaving a bunch more rooms and the dreaded basement…
She’ll be happier once this move is done, but moving always sucks.
Oy, yes it does. Didn’t you tell us that your mother is going to some kind of assisted-living place? That’s an extra transition, on top of the moving. If she is taking that well, then that is very good to hear. One of my sisters was in charge of moving our mum ten years ago; it was wrenching for both of them, and ever since I’ve felt that I’ll never be able to repay teh sister for taking on not just the work but the experience.
When a couple of friends gave me emergency moving help a few months ago, I ended up hiding in the bathroom a few times wailing to myself “They’re looking at my stuff!” *grin* Och, we all need help, but sometimes it is hard to accept that. (Especially when the helpers keep holding stuff up and saying in disbelief, “Are you taking that?”)
she’s moving from CO to PA, into a “continuum of care” place. She’s actually looking forward to the social aspects of the move (and living by herself). Plus she’ll be closer to my aunt and uncle, so her lifelong adult friends. It’s going reasonably well, but it’s never easy.
After my parents’ deaths in 91, all of my siblings (there are 10 of us) got together to “clean house” at the family home which a couple of the brothers were buying from the rest of us.
7 bedrooms and a lifetime of all of our possessions and memories awaited in the 100+ year old 3 story Victorian.
Closets? Never could I imagine closets could hold so much! Bag after bag was filled with 30, 40 year old dresses, suits, sweaters, and bell bottoms for heaven’s sake (I knew they’d come back into style :-) ).
Goodwill got lots of goodwill that weekend, though I suspect they’re still trying to flog those blue and white checkered bell bottoms off on some poor style-blind soul.
Take care Marcy! We do miss you of course, but family comes first and we can manage to keep ourselves busy, and in not too much trouble (fingers crossed!) until you return.
Problem with those old bell-bottoms coming back in style: our bodies have changed so much in the intervening decades that few of us can fit into our old, glorious threads. And, of course, we are ever so much better looking now than we used to be in the ’60s.
If you say so, this must be true. :D
I tried on my mom’s honeymoon dress yesterday. Fit great, back in style.
Problem is some moths got to it.
Oh, so sorry to hear about the moths. Wish I could offer a remedy, but I don’t know how to make such repairs. If the damage isn’t too great, you might be able to get them done by an expert in these things. I hope so. In addition to the usual kudos we send for your great work here, please accept some more for all you’re doing for your mom.
Offering out of style clothes to a community theatre group would also be a greate idea. They can be used in period plays and the costume people can rework them into outfits to fit all sorts of plays.
Now there’s a refreshing idea!
I remember moving and yes it did suck but things are way better these days
“…moving always sucks.”
I can offer recent testimony to that effect: I’m still in the process of moving from Hawaii to AZ– our household goods won’t arrive until next week. Meanwhile, we’re living in a 3 bedroom house furnished with stuff from our suitcases, and stuff from a storage locker from 5 years ago.
But the more important thing is that your Mom is moving willingly, and that is no small thing. I’ll bet your mother appreciates your support during this move more than you’ll ever know.
But back to your topic: This Lieberman-amended bill (H.R. 2892: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010) deserves to be placed in the company of Glenn Greenwald’s infamous dozen “Bipartisan” bills in his January, 2008 column. From your link (emphasis added):
So the Senate has not yet followed suit? If it’s Lieberman’s amendment, how can this be, since he’s a Senator. Can you or someone else please unravel the process here, and where things are currently at?
Bob in AZ
EW: How do you keep the faith in the midst of such cover-ups?
My awakening came when Richardson and the boys resigned after Nixon’s
ticking time bombs…
Since then, we’ve bee looking under the hood, exposed treachery, treason, and torture, reached tipping points that didn’t tip, emptyied half-full glasses, produced three-martini investigative columns, yinged and yanged, given multiple mulligans, and still, and still… we wait and wait… the stench continues, and yet our country bathes in the river of forgetfulness.
Awake no more
Accessories to murder, though they will never be charged or have their conscious bother them.
Why do we have a duel citizenship senator writing acts that gut our constitution. Out of three million Americans we can’t find 100 true Americans not half citizens to serve in congress. Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech or of the press. That’s exactly what this act does without amending the original document.
Good morning.
A couple of quotes from Marcus Tullius Cicero, in honor of the Brit Justices who had the courage to speak to the truth and to arrogant power.
“Never was a government that was not composed of liars, malefactors and thieves.”
and
“The administration of government, like a guardianship, ought to be directed to the good of those who confer, not those who receive the trust.”
And, of course, this will be appealed.
Of course it will be appealed, fatster.
To no one’s surprise.
And, even should it be “successfully” appealed and “disappeared” from view, the world (and any American citizen capable of sustained rational thought) now knows, beyond any doubt, that the United States of America engages in torture, “extraordinary” rendition, and wars whose essential (if not sole) purpose, is the obscene enrichment of the corporate and political elite.
DW
And they are so tenacious, DWBartoo, in attempting to hide the oh-so-obvious, and that tendency has become so institutionalized, so widespread, that we are left to wonder what can be so damaging in all the other stuff they are hiding. Meanwhile, of course, we can no longer hide much of anything about ourselves since they are successfully attacking the Fourth Amendment.
Your comment, fatster, sums up our “exceptional” (we are Americans, after all) “situation”, precisely.
Bringing to mind two further thoughts of Cicero;
“…the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled …”
for
“When a government becomes powerful … it is an usurper which takes bread from innocent mouths and deprives honorable men of their substance for votes to perpetuate itself.”
DW
They can keep hiding the torture evidence, but the world knows it is there. At some point, I still hold on to the hope that we will see a full accounting. Maybe the British disclosure in the Binyam Mohammed case will come about–that could get things moving the right direction.
[Glad to hear you were off on family business–I kept scouring the threads for an explanation of the absence and worried about having no information.]
I worried too. Glad everything is all right
As someone up thread said “tough to keep the faith with such cover ups”
Millions don’t. And as EW has said “And so Congress becomes fully complicit in covering up Bush’s crimes.” These “complicit” decisions are eating our nation alive…like a cancer. Multiplying eating the host and the whole world is watching. Congress seems to be feeding that cancer via their complicity.
Obama, Holder, Congress “no one is above the law” Empty hollow words
We know what happened. We don’t need new pictures. It would be nice if they did come out, they would likely really increase pressure on ObamaCo for prosecutions.
Boxturtle (Obama will pardon before he prosecutes)
I’ve been reading In the Land of Bones, by Frank R Holt (UC Press). It’s directly about Alexander (the Great) in what is now Afghanistan, but it’s less directly about the last couple of centuries of invasions there. What happened to Alexander’s army is pretty familiar, including the atrocities.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The bad guys got control in 1913, but I didn’t see evidence of it in my young life until November 1963 and then, monstrously worse, in August 1964 when the Warren Commission issued its turd.
Thing is, the malefactors used to try to hide their misdeeds. Today, they act openly.
Things won’t change without a popular revolution. I say, vote Repub against and throw out all the bad Dems, and THEN work to rebuild the Dem party.
Hope the packing went as well as can be expected. Also hope you are taking care of your health with all of the weather flips.
EW “Between the two events, the government–with the Court’s and Congress’ help–continues to bury the evidence of Bush’s torture program.”
Liebermann should get tossed out on his ass.
They have sure learned a great deal about keeping the peasants in the dark. Don’t release photos of what they have been up to in our name. Keep those folks hoping that they can make it to the malls this holiday season with their pedals to the metal swiping those credit cards buying the junk from China.
How in the fuck can they expect us to believe that any of them actually believe that “no one is above the law” when they do everything in their power to block accountability except when it comes to lies under oath about blowjobs and what Acorn does to encourage folks to vote.
You know one thing Ralph Nader said at the Green Fest in D.C. last weekend was that he really thinks that many Americans are “depressed” as a consequence of the last eight years (death destruction in Iraq, torture etc etc) along with the failing economy. “depressed” I think he is right
When our Reps and the Dept of Justice do not do the right thing and hold the people who have committed these crimes accountable. I believe whether they show the pictures or not there is a very clear deadening of our values. Not releasing those photos and records does far more damage to the psyche of our country and our standing in the world.
And in case folks missed it, Glenn Greenwald has an excellent post this day on the same subject that bmaz posted last night (Brit High Court Slaps Down US And British Torture Coverup):
British High Court rejects U.S./British cover-up of torture evidence
Via the BBC, Glenn also posted the British High Court’s ruling (38 page PDF), so do take a gander at both.
Heartbreaking news:
http://twitter.com/janehamsher
Ah, that’s sad, sad news. Jane’s love for her dogs, and in particular Kobe, is embodied in the very name of FireDogLake.
Our hearts are with you Jane!
Oh, I’m very sorry to read about Kobe. Our animals give us so much, and Kobe and Jane had shared so much. All my sympathies to Jane, and a salute to the great firedog.
ot
Obama smackdown
“not the time to pat ourselves on the back, don’t become complacent”
http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/10/17/obama-attacks-insurance-industry-in-latest-youtube-message/#respond
Via Daphne Eviatar at the Washington Independent, here’s Louise Slaughter (who, despite her pretty words, nevertheless voted for the conference report) speaking on the floor before the vote on the Homeland Security Appropriations conference report, which Slaughter’s Rules Committee had obediently passed through to the floor (by voice vote):
For my part, Louise, it’s “hard for me to express how disappointed I am” in the insidious, accountability-free, and dangerously power-concentrating capitulations by Congress – or at least by those, like Pelosi, Obey, Price, and Reid in this case, who are allowed to rule the Party roost in Congress – to secret, back-room Executive Branch demands and pressure.
Irresponsible capitulation to the President to the exclusion of Legislative Branch prerogative and democratic process, and the nation’s best interests, that has continued, unabated, from the Bush/Cheney Reign into the Obama Reign, and is now in full, appalling display by way of Harry Reid’s secret meetings to merge Senate health care legislation, in which he – and every other Senator who silently watches without complaint – is apparently letting the President interfere in and direct Senate proceedings, based on the opening-day photos of those seated at Reid’s private table. Backroom dictates from the President that follow the same pattern Slaughter reveals Obama secretly used with Dave Obey, David Price, Pelosi, and others, on the detainee photos in Round Two of the purportedly Legislative Branch conference report negotiations. [What’s changed in the four months since Round One on this matter, to completely reverse the outcome? The House has yet to consider or debate the photo provision on its own, and I know of no committee that has held hearings on the provision, in either the House or the Senate.]
Note too, how the conferees – or, again, to be precise, the White House PR arm – morphed the “Short Title” of the Lieberman/Graham legislation – without meaningfully changing any of its actual substance – from the “Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009” to the “Protected National Security Documents Act of 2009.” [See Section 565 here.] If ever we needed a definition of what “national security” really means in Washington, D.C…
I expect that some [like Lieberman] are covering up, but others just want to move on and forget this ugly business. Most of us who follow your posts, read and reread the released material, buy David Cole’s book, and keep blogging about this dark business have something else in mind – something that’s in the other sentiments of this thread. We want to grieve about what America lost in all of this, like Jane will grieve for Kobe. We want to go back through the things that define us – like your mom’s honeymoon dress, moths and all. It’s more than just accountability, or demonstrating the sins of the Bush Administration. Somewhere in this sordid story there’s something essential that has nothing to do with national security. It has to do with national identity.
Keep digging…
indeed.
You know, when/if the republicans get control of the house and senate, they are going to impeach obama for covering up bush/cheney war crimes. Its gonna be poetic.
Regardless of whether they are ever released officially, isn’t it still possible the photos might be leaked. PLEASE say yes. In whose custody are they anyway?