Guantanamo needs to be shut down
Even more importantly, “Gitmo” (as it is infamously known now) and everything it represents must be invalidated. This includes the military tribunal process, the human rights violations, torture, and the blatant disregard for the rule of law.
This is President Obama’s challenge.
As Obama noted in his May 21 speech on the issue, Guantanamo and the activities that occurred there set back the “moral authority” of the United States.
Closing Guantanamo would help restore that authority.
But Republicans, led by former Vice President Dick Cheney, are opposing this, conjuring up fears that Guantanamo detainees will be released to roam free here in America.
Even some influential Democrats in Congress have bought into this absurd claim.
“We will never allow terrorists to be released into the United States,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said recently.
What they’re forgetting is that the U.S. prison system currently houses some very dangerous individuals. Among the notables:
Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, a man guilty of killing several innocent citizens with sophisticated mail bombs, is housed in the federal prison in Colorado.
Ramzi Yousef, the man who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993, is housed in the same prison as Kaczynski.
Eric Rudolph, a man who killed several people when he bombed abortion clinics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, is also housed in a federal prison.
So is Terry Nichols, who assisted Timothy McVeigh in bombing a federal building in Oklahoma City where 168 people were brutally murdered.
The idea that Guantanamo detainees will somehow escape from maximum-security prisons in the United States is a foolish one.
Obama should be applauded for his decision to close Gitmo, but he should be criticized for going forward with military tribunals down there. These tribunals are an insult to the rule of law. All prisoners who are charged there with crimes should be given real trials in federal courts or in recognized international judicial tribunals that prosecute war crimes.
Finally, and perhaps, most importantly, Obama should press for an investigation or inquiry into exactly what happened in the torture program that has its roots at Gitmo. Obama’s original decision to not seek an inquiry was a mistake.
With Cheney repeatedly making statements supporting the illegal torture program, an investigation, inquiry and perhaps prosecution of those responsible for the torture program has to be considered.
If there is evidence that some political leaders may have committed war crimes, the Obama administration should charge them.
It is the only way that we recover our honor and our reputation after the sordid affair known as “Gitmo.”
Brian Gilmore, a poet and a lawyer, lives in Takoma Park, Md. He can be reached at pmproj [at] progressive [dot] org.
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Have you ever gone out shopping with your friends, or whoever, and while you're out you find an amazing pair of shoes, the shoes that you know you just couldn't possibly live without? The thing is, what do you do when they don't have your size? If you say, "forget it, I don't need them anyway." You need to turn around, go back to the store, and buy those bad boys! I'm sure this has happened to about 95% of women. It always seems as though the perfect shoe for you is always one-half or even one size too small. Or maybe you purchase the perfect pair of shoes, and when you get home, you realize they don't fit. Well, have I got news for you. There are ways around this problem. There are many techniques in which one can actually "stretch" their shoes. You'll almost NEVER have to worry about not finding the right size shoe again!I am going to take the time to help all of the women, who have this problem mentioned above, to "stretch" their shoes. I have found quite an assortment of interesting ways of doing this. There are the at-home remedies, using a shoe stretcher, and taking your shoes to a professional.I will list the at-home remedies that I have found, and then I will discuss them further each individually. The at-home remedies include wearing your shoes in, you can freeze them, you can use a damp newspaper, you can use oats and grain, you can use rubbing alcohol spray, and you can also use potatoes. In order to "wear your shoes in," you need to put the shoes on, and walk around in them for a while at home for a couple days. Take the shoes on and off, repeating this process. Within a day or two, your shoes should be well worn-in.The process of freezing your shoes is very interesting. This process is mostly for shoes made of leather or fake leather. You must have two plastic baggies, free of any holes, and able to seal. Fill both baggies one-third of the way with water, and seal them. Then, place a baggie inside of each shoe, and make sure that they fit the inside of the shoe completely. Following this, you place the shoes in the freezer, and wait until the ice is frozen, or just overnight. After you remove the shoes from the freezer, you must let the ice thaw before removing the baggies in order to avoid ruining your shoes. The idea of this is that the water turns into ice, which expands your shoe.The method of using damp newspaper is quite different but very easy. You will need to scrunch up wet newspaper, and shove as many pieces into your shoe as possible. Make sure that you do not deform the shape of your shoe. Wait for the newspaper to dry, and then remove it. This is very simple.The next at-home remedy involves using oats and grain. This method really only works on leather boots; however, you need to fill the boot with oats or grain, and pour enough water in to cover the oats or grain. The idea of this method is that the oats or grain will inflate overnight. However, I would not recommend this method on your favorite pair of expensive leather boots.This next option is a home-made shoe stretching spray. This concoction is made up of fifty percent rubbing alcohol and fifty percent water. It would be best to use a spray bottle, and spray the inside of the shoe. Then, it is recommended to put on a pair of socks and wear the shoe for about twenty minutes while still wet. This should stretch the shoe out pretty well.The last at-home remedy, which is sort of weird, is using a potato. Who would have thought? But this remedy is almost the simplest of all of the above mentioned. All you have to do is peel the potato (one that is large enough to create a bulge in the shoe) and let it sit over night.If you haven't caught on yet, there is an increasingly commonality on the methods of stretching the shoes. It is quite easy to see that all you need is something that will expand and hold position, while being inside your shoe for a decent amount of time. But also, besides these home remedies, there are still some other options for stretching your shoes. These include using an actual shoe stretcher (on leather shoes), just being patient, and last but not least, go to a professional to have the shoe stretched.Shoe stretchers are made of wood, and are designed in the shape of a foot. Most shoe stretches have adjustments that help with stretching the shoes. Also, shoe stretches are able to adjust not only the length, but also the width too.The idea of just being patient, and going slow with stretching your shoe is pretty much the same idea as wearing your shoes in. It is a known fact that you can't go anywhere and buy a shoe that will fit your foot just perfectly, unless of course you're having them custom made. All shoes need time to adjust themselves and mold themselves to the exact shape of your foot, so be patient.Finally, the last method of shoe stretching is to just visit a professional shoe stretcher. This is probably the easiest method of them all, but the most costly. However, if it is an expensive shoe that you just love, then it is well worth the cost of a professional shoe stretcher.Now that I have given you this information on all of the different ways (I'm sure there are more methods) to stretch your shoes, don't be so afraid to buy a pair that may be one-half size too small. There are some great techniques mentioned above that I have actually used myself and can assure you that they do work. UGG Classic Short Boots 5825 Leopard