Sunday, May 17, 2009

Torture, Obama, and Bush (Cheney)

I'm trying to figure out the proper comparison. Here's what I have for now: murder.

If someone commits murder, and someone else, sees it (maybe even screamed "don't") but then fails to notify authorities, and maybe even helps to hide the body, then we have two people who have both demonstrated a moral failing. Two who have broken the law. The order of magnitude is doubtless different, but neither is worthy of praise, and in fact both deserve condemnation.

We know we tortured, we know it was sanctioned, and that makes the Bush (Cheney) administration deplorable on a level that has certainly not existed in my lifetime, or my parents, and possibly my grandparents. If Obama does not pursue justice, if he continues to hide what happened, then he is no different than the witness in the murder scenario. We cannot know that we are progressing in the right direction if we hide all of our tracks. We could just as easily double back. Obama got my vote last year with a promise of change. If he fails in producing this particular change, then he will not get my vote in 2012, and he will get me to actively campaign against him.

2 comments:

Michael L. Heien said...

Descent analogy. Where would Nancy fit in your scheme?

Jacob said...

I think the congressional briefings all told are kind of like the killer(s) telling their lawyer what happened. The lawyer may not like it but is on legal quicksand regarding what she can and can't say.

Revealing state secrets is treason.