Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Thoughts on Civil Rights

It occurs to me that the test of civil rights is how they are applied to our enemies. I mean it's just a thought, but any damn fool can be nice to his mother. Can he be nice to his mother-in-law, is another question altogether.
Zacarias Moussaoui is a challenge for us.
Moussaoui is a disciple of Osama bin Laden, and he admits his allegiance to Al Qaida. He was enrolled in a flight training program at the time he was taken into custody. It is reasonable to assume... and he might admit... that he intended to do us harm; however, he denies having anything whatever to do with 9/11. He was already in U.S. custody on 9/11/2001; but apparently we allege that he was involved in the planning of the attacks on 9/11. It appears that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty in his case.
Moussaoui's lawyer has pointed out that the government's evidence apparently comes out of unsworn statements taken in secrecy from unnamed alleged conspirators, and that Moussaoui is being denied the opportunity to confront his accusers. John Couey will be given the opportunity to challenge the evidence against him. Timothy McVeigh had the opportunity to challenge the evidence against him. The federal courts have ruled that Moussaoui's rights are served... and therefor that his life depends... on "government-prepared summaries of the captives' statements."
Man, if I was Zacarias Moussaoui and my life depended on the integrity of this administration I'd be sweating bullets.
I'd be okay with locking him up... he is what he is: an Al Qaida terrorist who was in training to do us harm... but killing him because he hates us and we hate him and he's the only live terrorist we have in custody? I wouldn't want to have to explain that to my grandson.

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