Positions

What’s Done is Not Done
Bombarded by political and economic upheaval, I feel Americans are constantly being asked to comment, support, or disavow hard-line, domestic and international issues. Fear, intolerance, and abuse of power are the legacy of the Bush administration. Bush infamously made unprecedented restrictions on the Freedom of Information Act as well as took steps to shield the American public from negative coverage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In an attempt to manipulate the American people in to supporting a misguided war against “terror,” Bush’s administration engaged polices that defied coveted American civil liberties and institutionalized a system of overt religious and racial stereotyping.
The UnDo-It
Unlike former President Bush, Obama is actively encouraging an atmosphere of “transparency” in government. One of his first acts as president was to reverse the ban on photographing the caskets of America’s fallen soldiers on their return from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. These deeply patriotic images, previously withheld from public scrutiny, symbolize the sacrifices made by Americans and the true costs of war. Although some politicians and private citizens have expressed their grievances with these personal images being made public, I believe these images are crucial in maintaining national accountability for the cause and consequences of war. Our military veterans deserve to be cherished and honored by all Americans, in life and in death: they have all earned the respect to be acknowledged for paying the ultimate price for their country.
The Do-It
Similarly, a new controversy has arisen surrounding the name of what will be a multibillion dollar tower and memorial on the site of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Formerly referred to as “Freedom Tower,” the new tower, to be unveiled in 2013, will now be known by its’ legal name, “One World Trade Center.” Citizens and public officials are up in arms and consider the name change an affront to the memories of the victims of 9/11 as well as a symbol of broken promises made to the city shortly after this American tragedy. The destruction of the World Trade Center by terrorist acts became the pillar for which Bush placed his argument for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Therefore, the rebirth of the new tower is aptly named, “One World Trade Center.” The tower’s new name does not diminish the memories of those caught in this tragedy. In fact, by maintaining its former identity it will represent the American precepts that dissenters to our values attempted to jeopardize on that grievous day.
The Didn’t Do-It
The Guantanamo Bay military detention facility will be closed. What will come of the detainees? Do they deserve the same right of due process that American citizens are afforded? Yes: it is the law. The truth is, under the Bush administration, prisoners of “the war on terrorism” have not been afforded the rights established by US Law and international guidelines established by the Geneva Convention. Due to the perversion of US and International laws, hundreds of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay have not been brought to trial. It has also been determined by US military and CIA officials that many detainees are innocent civilians mistakenly swept up in U.S. military raids. Regardless of the facts provided by his own advisors, Bush remained stalwart that every prisoner held at Guantanamo was a threat to American security. As a result, potentially hundreds of innocent men have been held imprisoned for years. If to save but one innocent man, the Guantanamo Bay detainees deserve to face their accusers in an American court of law.