Post by RS Davis on Dec 8, 2003 4:44:33 GMT -5
I don't know Jose Padilla, but I think he may be a
very bad man. He probably is a very, very bad man. He
is alleged to have wanted to explode a dirty bomb
that might have killed thousands of innocent
Americans.
That's what President Bush says, and federal agents.
But what if -- not that I'm saying they are wrong or
anything, mind you, I don't know -- but, what if they
were somehow wrong? What if they got bad
intelligence? What if it was a mistake and he's
shockingly innocent?
Well, in America it must all come out at trial. He'll
be able to defend himself. In America, no one can be
imprisoned on a maybe. Not even on a probably. We are
all -- rich or poor, well-connected or not --
innocent until proven guilty.
Or, anyway, it used to be that way. Not anymore.
Jose Padilla, an American citizen, though granted he
may talk funny and didn't come from the Emerald Isle
like my family, is in prison. In prison without a
charge, without any right to an attorney, because
he's been named an "enemy combatant" by the
President, which is longhand for "bad man."
We can fight and beat terrorism, but not by regularly
violating our own soul with these authoritarian
tactics. Jose Padilla's unjust, un-American
incarceration is a defeat for freedom, democracy and
the American way.
We cannot ever forget that this war, like all wars,
is about hearts and minds. Which means that it is
about being right and doing what's right.
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.[glow=red,2,300]
________________________________________
Vote to keep Common Sense! Here's why:
www.termlimits.org/Press/Common_Sense/20031014careerpoliticians.html
Cast your vote:
www.termlimits.org/donate/cs.html
________________________________________
Paul's latest column at Townhall.com:
www.townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/archive.shtml
To subscribe to Common Sense or notify us of
an email address change, send a message
to subscribe@termlimits.org
YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEPS COMMON SENSE ALIVE.
Contribute now. Visit our donation page at
www.termlimits.org/donate/cs.html
to donate at subscriber, supporter, sustainer
or platinum level (we offer bonuses for each
level of support). Thank you!
PROMOTE COMMON SENSE! If you wish to reprint
Common Sense in your print publication or web
site, you have our permission to do so, and we
appreciate it. We only ask that you let us know
-- and let your readers know how to subscribe
to Common Sense by email. Readers can subscribe
by sending an email to subscribe@termlimits.org
or by signing up at the Common Sense home page:
www.termlimits.org/Press/Common_Sense/
The opinions expressed in Common Sense are Paul
Jacob's and may not necessarily represent the
position of U.S. Term Limits or the U.S. Term
Limits Foundation. Paul's daily commentaries are
heard on radio stations nationwide and on the
Internet. [/glow]
very bad man. He probably is a very, very bad man. He
is alleged to have wanted to explode a dirty bomb
that might have killed thousands of innocent
Americans.
That's what President Bush says, and federal agents.
But what if -- not that I'm saying they are wrong or
anything, mind you, I don't know -- but, what if they
were somehow wrong? What if they got bad
intelligence? What if it was a mistake and he's
shockingly innocent?
Well, in America it must all come out at trial. He'll
be able to defend himself. In America, no one can be
imprisoned on a maybe. Not even on a probably. We are
all -- rich or poor, well-connected or not --
innocent until proven guilty.
Or, anyway, it used to be that way. Not anymore.
Jose Padilla, an American citizen, though granted he
may talk funny and didn't come from the Emerald Isle
like my family, is in prison. In prison without a
charge, without any right to an attorney, because
he's been named an "enemy combatant" by the
President, which is longhand for "bad man."
We can fight and beat terrorism, but not by regularly
violating our own soul with these authoritarian
tactics. Jose Padilla's unjust, un-American
incarceration is a defeat for freedom, democracy and
the American way.
We cannot ever forget that this war, like all wars,
is about hearts and minds. Which means that it is
about being right and doing what's right.
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.[glow=red,2,300]
________________________________________
Vote to keep Common Sense! Here's why:
www.termlimits.org/Press/Common_Sense/20031014careerpoliticians.html
Cast your vote:
www.termlimits.org/donate/cs.html
________________________________________
Paul's latest column at Townhall.com:
www.townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/archive.shtml
To subscribe to Common Sense or notify us of
an email address change, send a message
to subscribe@termlimits.org
YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEPS COMMON SENSE ALIVE.
Contribute now. Visit our donation page at
www.termlimits.org/donate/cs.html
to donate at subscriber, supporter, sustainer
or platinum level (we offer bonuses for each
level of support). Thank you!
PROMOTE COMMON SENSE! If you wish to reprint
Common Sense in your print publication or web
site, you have our permission to do so, and we
appreciate it. We only ask that you let us know
-- and let your readers know how to subscribe
to Common Sense by email. Readers can subscribe
by sending an email to subscribe@termlimits.org
or by signing up at the Common Sense home page:
www.termlimits.org/Press/Common_Sense/
The opinions expressed in Common Sense are Paul
Jacob's and may not necessarily represent the
position of U.S. Term Limits or the U.S. Term
Limits Foundation. Paul's daily commentaries are
heard on radio stations nationwide and on the
Internet. [/glow]
