Long nights

[pecunium]

I am not sure that reading Whiskey and Water by Elizabeth Bear was the best thing to be doing last night, after I got done with reading, and writing, about the memos the Obama adminstration released yesterday. Strange dreams

Comments

[auriaephiala]

Today, an ex-cabinet minister in Newfoundland was sentenced to two years less a day for fraud (involving >$117K in fake constituency expenses, forged documents, and bribery of a civil servant). In his ruling, the judge said, "The crimes of which Ed Byrne has been convicted are very serious ... In his positions of high executive office ... he abused his authority and the trust placed in him."

After the ruling came down, the crown prosecutor in the case said: "We're lucky in this part of the world to have a democratic system. We rely on our public officials to behave honestly and with integrity."

"If we can't uphold that, then where are we? It's very important."

I think that's the kind of attitude that needs to be upheld in the torture cases (which are, of course, much much worse than embezzling money.)

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2009/04/17/byrne-sentenced-417.html

[cakmpls]

Thank you.

[patgreene]

The commission of evil on a large scale is often remarkably banal. Not to Godwin the discussion, but when I was in Berlin and saw the memos ordering the deportations to Auschwitz, I couldn't help but see how banal and bureaucratic they were.

I am all with you on the need to hold those in charge accountable.

[patgreene]

I guess "large scale" isn't the case here in numeric terms, but it just seems so ...huge... in how far this is beyond what we believed.

[pecunium]

From your mouth to God's ear. I wish my voice carried real weight.

Because I don't really think it likely anyone who can do anything about it will give a damn what I have to say on the subject.

[/bitter]

[happymorlock]

Are there other interrogators who feel as you do that you can contact? A letter to the New York Times signed by a number of people who've done the job is hard to ignore.

If not, you've spoken up. Every voice carries some weight.

[pecunium]

There are a few. But the one's who can speak up are out, and that tends to get one treated a bit dismissively.

But letters/links to representatives and senators is probably not a bad thing.

[asyouknow_bob]

Thank you.