Yellow Dog

As Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid points out,

"Our great Nation was founded on the idea of human rights.... Because of our unshakable belief in human rights, we became a ray of light, a beacon for people in other parts of the world. America has been that beacon because we are a nation governed by laws, not by men.

We are a nation where no one, not even the President of the United States,is above the law. We are a nation where our military is bound by the uniform Code of Military Justice and the laws of war. And we are a nation that even at war stands for and upholds the rule of law.

There is no question gathering intelligence from suspects in our war on terror is critical to protecting this great Nation. No one in this Chamber would argue otherwise. These are very bad people with whom we are dealing. But when interrogation turns to torture, it puts our own soldiers at risk. It undermines the very freedoms Americans are fighting to protect.

We are a nation at war--a war in Iraq and a war against terrorism -- but this war does not give our civilian leaders the authority to cast aside the laws of armed conflict, nor does it allow our Commander in Chief to decide which laws apply and which laws do not apply.  To do so puts, I repeat, our own soldiers and our Nation at risk.  But that is what has occurred under the direction and coordination of the man seeking to be Attorney General of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, a man I personally like, but whose judgment on these very serious matters was flawed and is flawed."

Giving the top legal post to a man who was the main architect in finding legal loopholes that led to Abu Ghraib abuses sends a terrible message to the rest of the world--that the US (Republicans) condone torture and the abuse of human rights. Thankfully, 36 Democrats took the high road and voted against torture. I have never been so proud to be a yellow dog.

The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial: The Senate and Mr. Gonzales

Today 40 residents of Fargo,ND were barred from attending a presidential speech. Those blacklisted included critics of Bush or the war in Iraq, two high school students, a librarian, a deputy Democratic campaign manager and a number of university professors.

Scary. And I thought it was bad enough when Cheney was making those attending his campaign speeches sign "loyalty oaths" or when protestors were put behind fences in ironically named "first amendment zones." Now there are these McCarthyite lists.

Here's a statement from Democracy Now radio host, Ed Schultz, who was "blacklisted":

"News of the Bush blacklist of dozens of citizens from a Fargo, North Dakota speech is as frightening as it has become routine for this Administration. To blacklist a local citizen because he produces a radio program at odds with the political agenda of the White House is dangerous for Democracy.

This Administration cannot promote freedom and liberty abroad while banning our most fundamental freedoms here at home. The pattern of stifling those voices that do not represent conservative orthodoxy has chilling implications for our Democracy.

Consider these recent cases:

A man is arrested and charged for holding a small “No War” sign at the January Inaugural.

The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq is ejected, arrested and charged while attending a rally for Laura Bush in September.

Across the country, citizens are removed from public sidewalks because “the President had requested a federal protection zone."

The greatness of this country lies in our constitutionally-protected freedoms and liberties. To attempt to ban those freedoms here at home hurts every American."

Only Bush would preach an "end to tyranny" in recent speeches and act like a tyrant himself. Oops, hope I don't get put on a "list" for saying this....

Statement on the Bush Blacklist for Fargo

"Taking on gang life will be one part of a broader outreach to at-risk youth.... And I am proud that the leader of this nationwide effort will be our First Lady, Laura Bush."

--G.W. Bush, February 2, 2005