The Honorable Hillary Rodham ClintonUnited States Senate476 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510
Fax: (202) 228-0282
Voice: (202) 224-4451
November 10, 2004
Dear Senator Clinton,
The Associated Press is reporting that President Bush is going to nominate Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General. I urge you to fight this nomination. Although the move was widely expected, it is not a conciliatory gesture by a president attempting to unite a divided nation. The two words most closely associated with Mr. Gonzales are “torture memo.” His nomination is an announcement that the administration intents to continue with its worst practices in the war on terror. I realize that the Democratic Party does not have as much political capital as the President going into this legislative session, but now would be a good time to spend some by thoroughly scrutinizing the nominee and perhaps even voting against him.
Sadly, it appears necessary in today’s political climate to review the reasons why the Gonzales’ February 2002 memo suspending anti-torture laws in the war on terrorism, and the horrible acts of violence it precipitated in Abu Ghraib and around the world, was a terrible mistake for the United States.
The simple, pragmatic reason not to torture enemy combatants is so that our own citizens will not be tortured in retaliation. We are now paying the price for not remembering this. The ghastly beheadings of hostages we have seen on the internet are expressly a response to the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. One of the most prominent demands of the Iraqi kidnappers has been the release of female prisoners at Abu Ghraib, prisoners which even the Taguba report acknowledges have been raped by American guards. The most obvious reason to fight the Gonzales nomination, and the one that will command the most attention in the media, is that he has caused irreparable harm to our men and women in Iraq.
There are other pragmatic reasons to see the torture memo as a mistake (it has clearly hurt our standing around the world) but I want to emphasize a more fundamental one: torture is wrong. The talking heads on cable news are saying that this last election was about “moral values.” I’d like to see the government act on a real value for once, one that doesn’t involve prying into others’ sex lives. Here’s a value: It is wrong to completely debase, abuse, and defile a human being, even if you think you are doing it for a higher good. Don’t give me hypothetical scenarios about ticking bombs here. Such clear-cut situations never happen. Abu Ghraib did happen.
Please be a voice for the 49% of the country that opposed the way the administration is pursuing the war on terror. Please fight the Gonzales nomination
Sincerely,
Rob Loftis
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3 comments:
Bravo. I'm hopeful that Gonzales won't be as bad as Ashcroft, but I have to say... I'm leery of anyone who refers to the provisions of the Geneva Convention as "quaint".
I wonder what else he thinks is "quaint"?? Due process? The right to a fair trial? That whole silly "innocent until proven guilty" thing? Pre 9/11 mentality, to be sure.
Dr. Dave (doctorsilence.blogspot.com)
Rob.. great letter and welcome to the blogosphere. Unfortunately I know many senate staffers and theyve told me NO senators actually read or take letters seriously. Still I support your point and your effort 100%.
Bicyclemark: I've always understood that staffers & interns read the letters, and then give 1 line summaries to the boss-person, something like "the letters are coming in 2 to 1 against Gonzales, but almost all of those are form letters." The senator then goes back to his important work of arranging a lucrative lobbying job for himself after he is voted out of office.
I have no illusions that letter writing does a lot of good. I just hope it does some good.
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