Apr 08 2009

When Will Obama Speak to the Nation on Torture and Wiretapping?

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

In light of the DOJ’s recent action to dismiss the right of citizens to sue for being spied on, which it is very difficult NOT to see as the government protecting it’s right to spy on YOU without a warrant.

In light of the ICRC’s, as the body charged with the task of charging torture, charges that the the Bush Administration did indeed torture.

In light of the massive body of evidence in the public sphere that torture was systematically approved and used.

In light of Spain investigating the US for torture.

In light of the United Nations investigating the US for torture.

In light of the UK investigating itself for torture

And in the light of the fact that President Obama has not addressed either Domestic Spying or Torture in a meaningful and substantive way since he has taken office….yet in his campaign championed the Constitution, the rights of citizens, and the Rule of Law.

When will President Obama address these issues before the American people?

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  1. Photobucket

    would be nice.

    • RiaD on April 8, 2009 at 20:18
    • #

       Supreme Court casts doubts on confessions

       Justices set aside a man’s robbery confession that came after prolonged questioning. A 1968 law says the statement can be used if it was made within six hours after arrest.

       By David G. Savage

       April 7, 2009

       Reporting from Washington — The Supreme Court refused Monday to permit prolonged, secret questioning of crime suspects, ruling that even voluntary confessions may not be used in a federal court if the defendant was held more than six hours before confessing.

       Justice David H. Souter pointed to the surprising number of persons who have been shown to be innocent through DNA evidence but had confessed to a crime.

       Police questioning “isolates and pressures the individual,” he said, “and there is mounting empirical evidence that these pressures can induce a frighteningly high percentage of people to confess to crimes they never committed.”

       The 5-4 decision upheld a federal rule dating back to the 1940s that says crime suspects should be brought before a magistrate as soon as possible.

       The Constitution requires crime suspects to be given a “probable cause” hearing within 48 hours of their arrest, the court said in 1991.

    (my bolds)

    h/t mishima

    so….

    just where do we stand on torture?

    & what is the rational for guantanamo?

  3. never……

    they will avoid it as long as they can……

  4. worse it appears.  I can’t help but keep thinking one thing:  we’re still doing it.  

  5. and the calls will get louder and louder the longer they are ignored.  

    • Edger on April 8, 2009 at 20:36
    • #

    Via UN Wire SmartBrief email this morning:

    Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in war crimes committed during his government’s war against the Shining Path insurgency. It’s the first time a democratically elected national leader has been successfully extradited to his home country, tried in court and convicted of human rights violations. Fujimori was charged with authorizing the creation of death squads that executed innocent civilians.

    WAPO has the story here…

    Lot’s of good examples cropping up around the world lately that Obama doesn’t seem to be learning from. It’s not going to look good on him and Holder if another country arrests Bush or one of the rest of them…

  7. but if anyone wonders why I’m so skeptical of Justice (capital “J”) coming from our current legal system, this diary gives us just a glimpse of what we might expect.

    I’m not criticizing or endorsing the diarist or the point he is making. I actually think its quite helpful in providing some perspective. But this is exactly how the concept of Justice gets lost in the system we currently have.  

    • robodd on April 8, 2009 at 22:02
    • #

    I think he already has.

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