Values Drop Lawyers in Guantanamo

Take a look at the picture accompanying this writing, what do we see? At the top of the page, we see the NBA, an impoverished group of guys who throw around an orangeish-yellow ball, to try to put it through a hoop. A game that was originally made by ... (hmm, do ya know? - if you don't see - (Ball) reference in this writing...) a cool dude who wanted to get something entertaining happening. Sports, the competition of those who strive to do things excellent. Ah, the sheer dynamic beauty of toned sports bodies competing for the sheer joy of it- and, where has that gone? Incentive and reward is one thing, but business is another, and when you combine them, you shouldn't whine when one or the other (or both) become jaded.

Then we see that the court is asked to limit lawyers at Guantánamo- which has to be the oxymoronic header of all time- the court, which is composed of who...quick, quick...yes that's right...lawyers...is being asked to ...wait for it...wait for it...that's it...limit lawyers...and where? Where the enemies who have been taken out of the assault on the America's are being held. Hmm, this is oddly a question-raising event, why- well who is in charge of the Department of Justice? "The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Office of the Attorney General which evolved over the years into the head of the Department of Justice and chief law enforcement officer of the Federal Government." (USDOJ, 2007) Oh sure, it's an issue alright, but is it possible that this is a blower upon some smoke that was spread before Congress last week (04/15-20/07)?

Then we notice on the right hand side of the page, Netflix- so we have to wonder; is there a better example of the American dream succeeding? They distribute DVD's to the homes of users so that they won't be without entertainment. That is hard to believe, that anyone could be without entertainment, when we have not only highly overpaid players, and business leaders (can anyone say CEO and not twinge at the bucks they are haulin' down? Except perhaps another CEO?) but lawyers' dealing with what is essentially not a rights issue, is it? Is "who" is being held at Guantánamo, a rights issue? Is what they are being held for, a rights issue, possibly- so that even in the face of enemies who would love to kill an entire city like New York, we are willing to bet that they shouldn't be held without due cause. We are that fair, but "my goodness", is it taking place against such a credo; not even close, it's not wholesale holding at Guantánamo, is it? Do you know, actually, what is going on down there? Oh oh, there, I've done it, I've gone and played the, "hey get involved" card, but the truth is, we're not very involved, are we? Is that why an ad for the NBA and an ad for Netflix can appear on a page where such a serious issue is being discussed, and nobody cares?

We get more highly mobilized about a statement made by a shock jock, and a lady who has decided that she is tired of gossip for a daily show, than we do over whether human rights are being violated. Is that because of the issue of who is being violated? As you answer, "that doesn't have anything to do with it," let me suggest that we better grab hold of a mirror, look at our face, and ask ourselves; if we were the one arrested in the middle of the night; for suspicion of intent to commit an act against the U.S.; and then shipped to Guantánamo, would we want anyone to get irate about that? Freedom is tough to define, especially when it is challenged by a group where we feel it needs to be restricted, the diffculty here is clearly the exception that proves the rule, and therein lies the danger. To the extent that we limit the freedom of even a few who we believe to be dangerous to us, we limit the freedom of all, eventually.