Oct. 10, 2006 - 20:40 MDT

STICKY WICKET

A Britishism that seems to have to do with the game of cricket often comparing life to the difficulties attendant. Somewhat similar to our, "Up isht creek without a paddle." Which is to my mind where we are headed today.

Read an article by Nat Hentoff in today's Rocky Mountain News -- headed SENATE TRIO CAVES IN ON DETAINEE LEGISLATION

Which I shall quote in part.

"The Military Commissions Act closes our federal courts to any habeas corpus petitions on those conditions of confinement -- despite the Supreme court's instructions this June to the president and congress that the military commissions dealing with these prisoners provide them with "all the judicial guarantees recognized as indispensible by civilized persons.." Habeas corpus, eminently civilized, requires the government demonstrate that it is holding detainees lawfully."

"But this radical new law goes much further than revoking habeas in showing the world -- most important, our allies -- the fragility of our vaunted rule of law, the bedrock of our constitutional republic."

This legislation not only strips the habeas rights of any alien designated as an unlawful enemy combatant -- including permanet alien residents of the United States -- but it also greatly and loosely expands the very definition of "enemy combatant." Current case law defines an enemy combatant as someone engageed in armed conflict with this country, but now it also includes anyone who "purposely and materially" supports hostilities against the United States. Such alleged enemies can be picked up by the Defense Department, held without charges indefinitely, and without recourse to our courts."

"Al Shapiro, National Public Radio's persistently astute and reliable reporter on our justice system, noted on Sept. 28, quoting concerned immigration organizations: "Imagine you're somebody who's been living in the United States for 30 years, married to an American citizen. You give money to an Islamic charity and the United States determines that that charity supported terrorism. That's material support (in this new law) You can then be declared an unlawful enemy combatant, taken to a secret prison and . . . . . potentially never be heard from again, these (immigration rights) groups say."

"John McCain, after his involvement in the "compromise" with the president that led to this dangerous law, including the revocations of habeas corpus, said : "We're all winners. I'm very proud of what we have accomplished." When I think of the losers ahead, one person I will not support for the presidency is John McCain, a man whose principles are as flexible as Bush's pledge to protect our civil lilberties."

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Of course in a society where a 27 year old mother uses her four week old baby as a weapon against her husband and fractures the baby's skull and Good Ol' Boy Foley (the supposed guardian of our young folk) perpetrates his X-rated activites via e-mail and then says he has gone into rehab. . . . . . . . . I guess things such as pure ethics and civilized action give way to doing whatever one can get by with.

Seems to me that Mr. Bush is determined to have his way in whatever way he can accomplish it. Change the law ? Okay, but I have to have the privilege of defining all the terms of the law. "Our country does not torture," he said. But he is the one who will define torture, his minions will decide who "allegedly" is an enemy combatant. Geneva Conventions, Heck Yeah, we'll observe 'em - - by my definitions of course.

I can't help these days remembering what Pastor Niemoller said of the days before the actual holocaust.

If I go silent, you can figure that some arm of the administration decides that I am an "alleged" combatant. Indeed, these days we are faced with a very STICKY WICKET . . . . . . . . . .

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