wrong, wrong, wrong.

most political issues are complicated. as a cool OU economics professor once said in answering a student's query, "like with most important questions, the answer depends." that's true, and while i have fairly clearcut views on many things, i pride myself on being ever the relativist [a word many people use derisively]. iraq, separation of church and state, the patriot act, affirmative action, abortion, the alaskan wildlife reserve... i have very decided views on these contentious issues, but i do at least recognize the moral, ethical, and legal complexities.

there is one "political" issue, however, on which i don't think see any room for disagreement. i'm not saying it's necessarily the most important, but it is the most clearcut: treatment of detainees. or rather, the administrations assertion that we owe NO standard of care to aliens who are being detained abroad. treaties on torture, treaties on treatment of enemy combatants in time of war, the constitution... let them all be damned [or blatantly misconstrued]. the american government's position is that we can do whatever we want to these people, for as long as we want to do it. the notion is as absurd and offensive as its legal underpinnings are fallacious and fraudulent. what's going on right now in quantanamo bay [and lots of other places, only a small portion of which we hear about] will be remembered just as tragically as the WW2 internment camps.


anyway, i got started on this pontification because of a really good article in slate discussing the same. i implore you to read it. the sarah silverman piece is good, too.