look what we're doing to the land of freedom

[Faeden]

By Sara Paretsky

Found in The Guardian

My grandmother came to America from eastern Europe in 1911, when she was not quite 13. Her father had been murdered in a pogrom in front of his family. Her mother was afraid the mob would turn on her next, so she sent her eldest child, alone, to the new world.

My grandmother often talked about sailing into New York harbour and seeing the Statue of Liberty, like a second mother, welcoming her under its outstretched arm. She never saw her mother or most of her family again: they perished in the Holocaust.

Her education ended when she left Europe. She worked as a finisher in the garment industry for 50 cents a day, became active in the Garment Workers Union, became pregnant and married at 15. But she knew when she sailed in under the statue that her life would not be in danger again because of who she was or what she thought or said. She had come home to freedom.

I recently completed a speaking tour in Europe in connection with my novel Blacklist, which is set partly in the McCarthy era and partly in the world of the Patriot Act. The book has generated hate mail from people who accuse me of hating America and loving terrorists. When I walked into the US consulate in Hamburg and saw a sketch of the statue on the wall, I thought of my grandmother and wept.

Grannie, this is what we're doing now:

We imprisoned an artist in upstate New York for an installation piece he was creating around genetically modified food. When his wife died suddenly one morning and he called 911, he was arrested for having micro-organisms in the apartment. He was held without charge until a postmortem was completed and showed that the benign, legally obtained organisms in his home had not caused his wife's death. He faces trial in January for having benign, legal organisms in his house, his travel is restricted, and he is subject to frequent drug tests.

We arrested a library patron in New Brunswick for looking at foreign-language pages on the web. We held him for three days without charging him, without letting him call a lawyer, or notify his wife.

We arrested a man at St John's College in Santa Fe for making a negative comment about George Bush in a chatroom from the college library. We put a gag order on all the students and faculty, forbidding them from revealing that this arrest had taken place: the staff member who told me about it could be imprisoned for doing so.

We pressured a North Carolina public radio station to drop a long-time sponsorship from a reproductive rights group, claiming that it is political and therefore not permissible as a donor.

We've seized circulation and internet-use records from a tenth of the nation's libraries without showing probable cause. We're imprisoning journalists for their coverage of a White House vendetta on a CIA agent. We coerced newspapers in Texas and Oregon to fire reporters who criticised the president's behaviour in the days immediately after 9/11. We have held citizens and non-citizens alike for more than three years in prison, without charging them, without giving them any idea on how long their incarceration might be, and we have "out-sourced" their torture to Pakistan and Egypt.

When George Bush spoke at the Ohio State University commencement in 2002, we threatened protesters with expulsion from the university.

We imprisoned an 81-year-old Haitian Baptist minister when he landed at Miami airport with a valid passport and visa. We took away his blood-pressure medicine and ridiculed him for not speaking clearly through his voice-box. He collapsed and died in our custody five days later.

In Germany, there is a feeling of terrible loss and betrayal in the wake of the presidential election. People in their 60s told me that growing up in postwar Germany, they idealised America. Even when our faults were obvious, as with lynch mobs and segregation, these Germans saw America as struggling to become true to its ideals of justice and equality. Now, as Germans see the many ways in which we are turning our backs on those ideals in the name of protecting ourselves from terror, they feel a betrayal deeper than the loss of a lover. They fear, too, that as America moves the definition of radicalism to new points on a rightwing compass, other nations will follow suit. They fear that in a world without a beacon of liberty, there will be no curbs on totalitarian behaviour anywhere.

I never met any anti-American sentiment in Germany, despite the bewilderment that people feel. People were supportive and helpful, even if no one is very hopeful right now.

In Dresden, a man in his 70s said that anyone who thought the worsening war in Iraq, and a worsening US economy, would turn Americans against this administration should look to Germany. He said he remembered the second world war vividly, when people were willing to shed the last drop of their blood for a regime which had destroyed their economy while plunging them into senseless wars.

In Munich, the consul told the audience that the fact I was allowed to say things at odds with our government was proof that free speech was alive and well. He walked out when I was explaining that the State Department had removed all of Dashiell Hammett's books from consular and embassy libraries, after Hammett refused to name names during the McCarthy witch-hunts.

The consul in Frankfurt said that between 75 and 120 casualties from Iraq were flown in every day to the military hospital there, but we aren't allowed to see these wounded on television, nor are we allowed to see the coffins of our dead.

My taxi driver in Frankfurt was a devout Muslim who fled Iran to protect himself and his wife from state- imposed religious and moral standards. He had served in the Iranian army during the Iran-Iraq war, and had lost his mother and both grandmothers. "Why does America want to rule by religion?" he asked. "Religion makes a cruel government."

On the plane coming home, I sat next to an Englishman, urbane, fluent in four languages, travelling every month to South America or the Pacific rim, who told me "you Yanks" had done the right thing in giving Bush four more years. "He's protecting you from terror," the man explained.

I told him about the arrests and interrogations of writers, artists, ordinary citizens. He paused, then said: "You Yanks put a lot of your people in prison, anyway." I was bewildered. He said: "It's a necessary price to pay for protection against terrorism. You'll be glad 10 years from now that you did it."

Grannie, you know that's what a lot of people said in Germany in the 30s - that the torture of Jews, communists, homosexuals and the mentally retarded was a necessary price to pay for moving Germany in a better direction.

When I think of you sailing into New York harbour alone, terrified, and seeing "the Mother of Exiles" lift her lamp beside the golden door, I feel my heart breaking.

Sara Paretsky is the author of Blacklist and winner of the Crime Writers' Association Diamond and Gold Daggers

[Seraphina]

Just wait for the right wingers and the republicans to charge in, say this is "leftist propoganda" and then kick up a storm about how wonderful that idiot Bush is...

[Shivel]

I dont understand why people found America so great back then (or even now) anyway. "The Land of the Free" we were, but where is Canada's attention? If you ask me, the US makes Canada look like paradise. Once Bush is out of office im sure things will brighten up alittle bit...just alittle though.

[Babs]

Is it possible, today, granny might disagree with Sara??

.....and still look at the Statute of Liberty with love in her heart?

(And thank her lucky stars that a man like Bush is in office to keep her beloved Statue 'right where it is' ).

Edited April 9, 2005 by Babs

[Dan'O]

Sara Paretsky's literary works (if you want to call them at) are full of anti government propaganda. She writes fiction. Her latest piece of crap fiction directly addresses the "patriot act". That is how she makes her money. She is the queen of spin because that is the only way she can currently make her capitalist way. She is a crap writer.

I would like to see the facts of all the incidents she describes in this so-called essay of hers. Since it directly relates to the content of her latest piece of literary trash I would call it a plug for her book. I am not even sure what this is doing in the "World Events & Current Affairs" forum. More BS propaganda from the anti-us terrorist lovers I guess...

[Seraphina]

More BS propaganda from the anti-us terrorist lovers I guess...

Looks like she was right, that is the sum of their arguement

[Dan'O]

Looks like she was right, that is the sum of their arguement

As she says in the sum of one sentence.

Was there something specific you wanted to debate oh humbly self proclaimed "Apparently, over on Exchristian.Net, they say that I'm "probably the smartest person" on UM....that is so cool..." one?

[Metalix Knightmare]

(Sigh) and people wonder why I wan't to live in Japan. Its only a matter of time before the liberals are forced to be silent.

[Babs]

Sara Paretsky's literary works (if you want to call them at) are full of anti government propaganda. She writes fiction. Her latest piece of crap fiction directly addresses the "patriot act". That is how she makes her money. She is the queen of spin because that is the only way she can currently make her capitalist way. She is a crap writer.

I would like to see the facts of all the incidents she describes in this so-called essay of hers. Since it directly relates to the content of her latest piece of literary trash I would call it a plug for her book. I am not even sure what this is doing in the "World Events & Current Affairs" forum. More BS propaganda from the anti-us terrorist lovers I guess...

562221[/snapback]

Love it! Especially the last line in your post. Fascinating.

[Faeden]

She is a crap writer

Yeah that’s why she wins awards.

Bush is responsible for the murder of thousands of people, and the rest of his death obsessed family are responsible for 1000s more, what heroes

All the best

Faeden

[Dan'O]

Excellent, lets debate this. Also, I do not agree with many of Bush's policies but I am obviously missing some key facts here. Maybe if you can enlighten me I can learn to hate Bush too. I am serious about this. Two, two part questions for Faeden.

1) Who exactly are these "thousands"? Exactly how is Bush responsible for their deaths?

2) And exactly who are the 1000s his family is responsible of killing and how?

And for the sake of logical debate, please use solid facts based on empirical evidence and reliable sources.

[stillcrazy]

First of all, I don't agree with the author of he original article. Has with any political piece it is by it's nature biased.

Bush and his administration are responsible for taking the U.S. to war in Iraq based on faulty intelligence. Pure and simple as that. Bush is, by law, the commander and chief of the armed forces. So any mistakes made by his subordinates rest on his shoulders.

The U.S. Patriot act, for those who care to read all 400+ pages guts many rights we thought we had. Such as warrants without cause. Wiretaps without warrants.

TIA, the total information and awareness act was shot down by congress, but survived because private companies such as ChoicePoint maintain records on almost all adults in this country. All the feds have to do is ask for your file and they have a consumer funded spy agency.

I have posted this information in other threads, but has I have learned neither the right, nor the left, will bother to do the research, all of which is public information at government websites, and make a reasonable argument.

May the chrome of the '57 Chevy bless you all.

[SilverCougar]

Even when Bush is out of office... I have no hope that this country will turn around. Honestly... It's become to restrictive... for fanatic...

I honestly... wish I had the cash to defect to Ireland... Canada's to cold... and Ireland has always captured me... I guess you could say it's in me blood

[Mekorig]

Even when Bush is out of office... I have no hope that this country will turn around.  Honestly... It's become to restrictive... for fanatic... 

I honestly... wish I had the cash to defect to Ireland...  Canada's to cold...  and Ireland has always captured me...  I guess you could say it's in me blood

562916[/snapback]

Yuo can always came to Argentina. We have an small Irish comunity, the climate is OK (we arent tropical), and the general feling is anti-facism right now.

[SilverCougar]

No ;P Ireland or bust

[Dan'O]

President Bush did not decide the war in Iraq alone. A majority of the American public's representatives (Congress) passed the use of force. Not only that but "other" countries went in to take Saddam and his regime out. It was not just Bush.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.J.RES.114:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20...20030321-4.html

There were many reasons for this.

Saddam Hussien was clearly interested in chemical, biological and nuclear programs. The byproducts of these programs could (did?) or would have ended up in terrorist hands which he had known ties with. Besides threatening neighboring countries he actually did use chemical weapons against Iran and his own oppressed civilian population with devastating and horrific consequences. Besides using chemical weapons on civilians in Iraq, the regime also killed hundreds of thousands using various conventional methods. I will refrain from posting sickening pictures of gassed children in Halabja. Reason enough to topple his vile regime.

http://www.answers.com/topic/halabja-poison-gas-attack

http://www.phrusa.org/research/chemical_we...emiraqgas2.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2855139.stm

http://projects.sipri.se/cbw/research/factsheet-1984.html

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en.../27_saddam.html

According to Czech Interior minister Stanislav Gross and other Czech security officials, 9/11 terrorist Mohammed Atta met at least once with an Iraqi intelligence agent during one of two trips to the Czech republic. Sadly, this could not be verified through audio or photographic evidence. But IMO this was justification enough to take him out.

http://www.spiritoftruth.org/iraqlinks.htm

http://www.worldpress.org/Europe/1684.cfm

http://www.intelmessages.org/Messages/Nati...essages/41.html

http://prague.tv/pill/article.php?name=pragueconnection

http://www.praguepost.cz/news071101b.html

http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2001/1.../story27874.asp

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/...inv.czech.atta/

Intelligence on Saddams WMD programs came from many sources. It was not just from the CIA. It came from The UN, ex-Iraqi's and other sources. In fact the UN said Iraq was in violation based on the evidence they themselves had gathered and presented to the US. Although they have not found stockpiles of ready to use WMDs, they have found older buried munitions containing chemical agents and trace amounts on and in various facilities and mobile labs. Another reason to have stopped Saddam's reign of horror.

http://cns.miis.edu/research/iraq/uns_chro.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2761261.stm

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iraq/cw/program.htm

http://www.thebulletin.org/article.php?art_ofn=sep91albright

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/18/Worldand...nd_deadly.shtml

http://www.harvardindependent.com/main.cfm...ynid/63884.html

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cf...-2002/story.htm

http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/03/980302-iraq-5.htm

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/iraq/decade/sect3.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Security_C...Resolution_1441

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/11/08/iraq.resolution/

http://www.iwar.org.uk/news-archive/2003/02-25.htm

Although civilian casualties in this (or any) war are horrible let me point out that the allied military does not target civilians like the murdering insurgents do. In fact, coalition aircraft flew tens of thousands of missions with surprising few civilian casualties. Numbers were extremely low, especially when compared to past conflicts. Compared to deaths at the hands of Saddam they are also very low. Regardless, civilian casualties are a sad fact of war.

http://strategypage.com/dls/articles/20030522.asp

http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/pages/oif.htm

These are not just my personal views either. Many people from many countries feel the same way. Maybe some of you would have liked to see this violent regime still in power? Or maybe you like having radical Islamic extremists continuing to attack innocents across the globe too? Blaming Bush and/or the USA is wrong though.

Actually, growing up and being a student of ancient history (I aced my ancient history course at the University of Alaska), I always wanted to go to the middle east and explore. To see the countries and cultures of the cradle of civilization, would have fulfilled a lifelong dream. It does not make me happy to see the area in turmoil. Maybe, someday I can do that. With radical Islam the way it is, I know it will not be anytime soon. That is sad.

[sanchera1978]

If Bush was truly interested in getting rid of WMD then why havent we attacked North Korea? They have admitted to having nukes. The only reason he attacked Iraq was for oil plain and simple. Iran is next and we will attack them sometime this year probably before the summer is over i think close to july. Just wait and see.

PS posting links to various articles really doesnt mean anything you know. The are hundreds of articles on both sides of the issue so who is to say which one is right. They do at least provide us with additional information to base our decisions. I'm just trying to say that posting 20 links doenst prove your point is correct just that their are alot of articles about it.

[bathory]

If Bush was truly interested in getting rid of WMD then why havent we attacked North Korea?

you are kidding right?

North Korea is an entirely different situation, from a diplomatical and military viewpoint, there is ZERO comparison between the situations in prewar Iraq and modern day North Korea, the fact that you were silly enough to use this arguement demonstrates you total lack of understanding in regards to both situations.

as for the article, unless we have the full stories to each of the 'cases'

for example if the fellow had perfectly legal biological samples, it would be nice to see what they are charging him with?

i think we also need to differentiate overzealous enforcers and a matter of government policy.

Edited April 8, 2005 by bathory

[SilverCougar]

Attack North Korea and we'll have M*A*S*H 2.0

[morpheas]

-Post removed-

Edited April 8, 2005 by morpheas

[Faeden]

Hi Dan'O

1) Who exactly are these "thousands"? Exactly how is Bush responsible for their deaths?

The people he killed when he went ahead and bombed Iraq, both Iraqis and Americans. Whether people want to admit it or not, Bush went to war because he is obsessed with oil and money and capitalism, he lives in Texas, he comes from a oil obsessed family, all he did was finish what his dad started. He is also responsible for the go ahead of many people on death row. He is also responsible for the torture of 1000s of terror suspects. Did you know that the American government are stopping tourists on planes, and arresting them just because they suspect them as being a terrorists, and are flying them out to Egypt and Syria countries that are experts in torture, and some other far eastern countries, that are helping the Americans, and they are being tortured with medieval devices and electric shock treatment, until they confess to being members of terrorist organisation? It was this kind of torture confessed information that was got from tortured people, that was one of the main reasons America went to war, Bush seems to think just because torture in Americans name, is not done on American soil, that its not in Americas name.

Link 1

LINK 2

Link 3

LINK 4

2) And exactly who are the 1000s his family is responsible of killing and how?

The 1000s that died when George Bush's dad went to war for oil the first time. Do you not think its coincidence that Bush family members keep becoming president? His bother will get in next, so they can continue there "mission" .

Iraqis, Americans, people all over the world that he deems a terror suspect. The 100s killed on death row. George and his bother who are obsessed with killing people on death row. the family are typical people that are obsessed with killing and death, that will also explain why they are all obsessed with hunting. killing thing is in there blood. Its not exactly hidden is it, I find it creepy and bizarre that people cant see what is staring them in the face, it just goes to show how powerful fear can be, when trying to make someone believe something.

Do I really need links to prove that the Bush family are responsible for 1000s of deaths? dont kid your self.

Also bush refuses to take responsibility for the destruction of the planet, and the pollution he causes with his capitalist obsessed politics. He will harm many others because he refuses to do anything about pollution. America is the worlds worst polluter, yet he is the worst when it comes to taking responsibility.

This is the last ill comment on this tread, as they seem to go on forever and ever, and I cant be bothered. I am a pacifist and I do not agree with killing or violence in any way shape or form.

All the best

Faeden

Edited April 8, 2005 by Faeden

[bathory]

The 1000s that died when George Bush's dad went to war for oil the first time.

you mean in the UN sanctioned defence of Kuwait against the invading Iraqi force?

The 100s killed on death row. George and his bother who are obsessed with killing people on death row.

maybe you should be laying this charge on the american judicial system? perhaps blaming the judges?

but hey, lets blame Bush for poverty, racism, aids, ww2, ww1 and for my dead goldfish...its all the rage these days, you people need a reality check

[jeceris]

The 1000s that died when George Bush's dad went to war for oil the first time.

you mean in the UN sanctioned defence of Kuwait against the invading Iraqi force?

The 100s killed on death row. George and his bother who are obsessed with killing people on death row.

maybe you should be laying this charge on the american judicial system? perhaps blaming the judges?

but hey, lets blame Bush for poverty, racism, aids, ww2, ww1 and for my dead goldfish...its all the rage these days, you people need a reality check

563615[/snapback]

not that i want get into a debate about the first war, but what invading iraqi forces do you speak of.

is this the invading force dick cheny had airbrushed onto the satelite photo, the one showing 1000's of iraqi troops on the kuwait border, when there weren't any?

creating misinformation, whether about invading forces, or wmd's seems to be the bush's administration forte.

and they will be able to continue the misinformation as long as they clamp down on the so called freedom the population of america thinks it has.

[The Caspian Hare]

is this the invading force dick cheny had airbrushed onto the satelite photo, the one showing 1000's of iraqi troops on the kuwait border, when there weren't any?

He was talking about the first war.

You're going to have a tough time proving that the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq did not take place.

[jeceris]

is this the invading force dick cheny had airbrushed onto the satelite photo, the one showing 1000's of iraqi troops on the kuwait border, when there weren't any?

He was talking about the first war.

You're going to have a tough time proving that the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq did not take place.

563638[/snapback]

as was i redneck.

yes the iraqi forces did invade, but, and again this is not something i expect most americans would not know, dick cheney took a satelite photo of the iraqi/saudi border showing iraqi troops massing at the border, ready to invade saudi.

there weren't any troops there, he did this to scare the saudis into giving america permission to fly jets and set up military bases in saudi.

your government lies to you.

my government lies to me, but i have the sense to know when i'm being lied to.

try crawling out from under your patriotic fear-mongering to and view things as they really are.