What has become of land of the free?
Years ago, John McCain wrote a book titled "Worth Fighting For" praising the greatness of the United States of America. Good for him. I shared that sentiment most of my life. But now I fear we've lost it. Why? Terrorists? Evil doers? No -- it is because of us.
Thinking back on 9/11, I have came to the conclusion that although a spectacle, the attack was really very small -- especially when compared to our reaction to it. Think about it: 3,000 people, out of a population of more than 350 million. It wasn't small, it was minuscule!
But now that we've trashed our Constitution and especially our Bill of Rights, we are the evil doers -- destroying the best country on earth.
Do you know the difference between "rendition" and "extraordinary rendition?" Can anyone see the non-existent line between "enhanced interrogation" and old Nazi -- and Commie-style -- torture?
I'd bet that G. W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, et al, would crack the first day under torture and say that they were members of al-Qaida.
To all the FBI, CIA, military and others, I urge you to obey the law. The true law that says everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Do not engage in the inhuman ungodly arts of torture or enhanced interrogation. Better to sit in a cell yourself for a while, because beside you in that cell would sit truth, justice and the American way. Far better accomplices than the psychological torment you will be inflicting on yourself knowing you tortured somebody into admitting something untrue, just to stop the pain.
This is what we've stooped to? Whatever happened to the land of the free, home of the brave?
Stephen P. Beisiegel
Schaumburg