Today we learned five men are going to come to New York for trial. One of these men, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, is the alleged planner of the 9/11 attacks. These men will be tried in a civilian Federal Court five blocks from the World Trade center site.
The reaction in New York is vehement. Many say New York is too sacred for such vile people to come for trial, and “waterboard him again.” Many think it preferable that the detainees remain in Guantanamo Bay and be tried by military tribunal. They hold the standard of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and think a tribunal would be their legal equivalent. These people doubt a tribunal's impartiality and call for revenge, not justice. This sentiment rejects our founding principles, and is an embarrassment to our legal system, and to our members of the military who work with honor and deep integrity in our name. This is my humble opinion.
We are trying to close the Guantanamo prison because it is blight on our reputation, our ideals, and our national identity. The practices of rendition, and the civil rights abuses performed in our name, have been roundly condemned- I do not need to wax on about this. But what happens if the defendants are found guilty? Do they stay in Cuba? Why shouldn’t they be held accountable for their alleged crimes in the place where said crimes were committed? Why shouldn’t someone who commits a crime against the civilization of the United States be tried by the civilians of the United States? We sent our military to war because of these men, why should we not have an opportunity to try them ourselves?
Let these five come to New York. Let them see the hole of the World Trade Center site, and let them be held accountable by the people who survived. Let them be judged by a panel of New Yorkers in black robes. Let them be subject to the legal system of the civilization they hate. The law is dispassionate. Let it look upon them and may it let them live the rest of their lives in impotent hatred for the country that, after everything, still tried them with blind reason, and with fairness. Let us live up to our ideals and be worthy of them.
Just my humble opinion…
.jpg)
Indeed!
ReplyDeleteAs much as many of us (all of us) would love to see these people tarred and feathered, we are America. We stand for values which are far greater than mere emotions or visceral reactions.
Taking the responsible, wise, higher road is hitting them where it hurts.