I only hope we'll be thoroughly ashamed in 30 years' time

[katranna]

Well, by now we've all heard the great news about the current regime's latest bid for the history books: our government can now torture and detain without trial people they define as "enenemy combatants." Oh, it's still illegal to do anything that would constitute a "grave breach" of the Geneva convention, but we get to decide what's "grave" or

Comments

[blaueteufelin]

I just want to clarify from the beginning that I don't mean this as a criticism of you, because we're of the same mind on this issue. This is more a reflection of my personal views on how to effectively work for change

[katranna]

Okay...

I am always confused by comments like this, though, because they seem to imply that there's some kind of quantifiable amount of "effort" for every person, and if I spend it on writing letters, I'll have nothing left for challenging the apathy of people I know who support this bill. Can't I do both? Like I said, I'm urging people to act in whatever way they can--if someone feels emails are ineffective, they are more than welcome to do something more drastiic. I would just appreciate it if their actions were fast and loud, because I feel in cases like this, hearing about it matters. I would also like to say that while it's very possible to dismiss emails as something congressmen will never read, I do know for a fact that while they may not READ the letters, they are aware of receiving them. And that they really hate it when we spam their inboxes. :-P I don't want to ease my conscience; I want to unsettle theirs

[blaueteufelin]

I wasn't trying to imply that you wouldn't talk to people about the issue, since you're already doing that and all ;) Clearly it's possible to write letters and work on a more individual level as well. Like I said, my comment was more about my philosophy and wasn't meant to be a criticism of you.

The spam emails sound like more of an irritant than a way to make oneself heard, though . . . I mean, they hate it, fine, but so what? I don't think it unsettles anyone's conscience; I think it's just irritating.

[katranna]

I guess I want the people who put this through to know that some of us will not just take it with quiet resignation, or even with distant protest. I want them to know that I hold them directly responsible for actions that defy human decency.

[katranna]

I don't want us to shake our heads, think "that's terrible!" and then turn back to Project Runway or America's Top Model and let this be swallowed, accepted, forgotten.

...That's exactly what I did, though.