The Nature of Ism
The connection between Terrorism, Salamism and McCarthism goes far beyond just the ism.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a United States Senator from Wisconsin who went on a witch hunt looking for the evil hearted, otherwise known as communists. Before now, his mission could perhaps only have been likened to the hunt of a much earlier time in Salem, Massachusetts, the Salemism.
It has often been said that history repeats itself and the making thereof should be done by using great caution. Looks like caution has been thrown to the wind, again.
Twenty people were put to death in Salem and ten times that many were imprisoned. The source of the unusual and unexpected events appear to have been two young girl cousins who were prone to throwing violent temper tantrums. Recordation whether the tantrums were intentional or unintentional is lacking but it is of particular interest that it was common for onset to begin when each was forced to endure sermons delivered by the father of one of them.
Initially, indictments were urged against three women: a slave, a homeless lady, and a disgruntled ill-tempered soul. These creatures were throw aways and the Salem society was looking for a well-sanctioned and unquestionable avenue to do just that. The three shared a fate that consisted of looking, acting, and sounding differently from other people within the community and thus they were easy, lay-down targets for bigotry to be carried out in the name of protection and religion. Each of the hunted, and later haunted, stood accused of practicing their magic upon those two pure, innocent children. (After all, what other than the casting of a wicked curse would cause a nine year old to cover their eyes, kick their feet, and scream as loudly as their tender lungs permit during a Preacher’s preaching? What indeed.)
An accusation was easy enough to make and once made it carried the absolute right to effect torment on the accused. Anyone who had a problem with a neighbor, storekeeper, or barber could point a finger and whisper, “witch.” The power of that word carried more than magic and instantly transformed ordinary people into desperate individuals isolated from reasonableness and sanity. There isn't much to be said about the necessary level of evidence when the guilt was determined by weighting the accused with bricks or the like and dunking them in water to see whether they floated or sunk. If the accused drowned it was certain they had been innocent and wrongly accused. If the poor soul floated it was determined the accusation had been well-founded.
Senator Joseph McCarthy viewed communism as the ultimate evil which threatened our American society, sophisticated as it was in the early fifties. With almost unbelievable energy and zeal, McCarthy pursued and slaughtered reputations of innocent Americans who were only guilty of having exercised their constitutionally protected right to assemble together and pursue their guaranteed liberties. By nothing more than mere allegation with a he said, she said backdrop, McCarthy used his legislative position to stalk, capture, and destroy his prey. His tools included near endless badgering, bellowing, and psychological battering. Only after he reeked much havoc did the Senate finally discipline him.
This week a Military Court dismissed cases pending against two accused terrorists on the basis that the United States didn’t have jurisdiction to conduct a trial. These proposed terrorists have been captives of our government notwithstanding that we had no jurisdiction over them. So, how does the U.S. explain the detention of the two victims for a long period of time? Jurisdiction either is or it isn’t and if it isn’t, it never was.
The United States needs a system that protects citizens from terrorism to the equal degree that it provides legal remedies from non-terrorism acts, but it is unfair to subject anyone to humiliation, torture, and isolation based on their belief, skin color, and gender. Name calling, or label placing just ain’t right.
In any legal matter the first question a tribunal must settle is whether it has the authority to render justice. It isn’t a novel question. It is the very first basic question because if there isn’t any authority, there isn’t any authority. The tribunal can’t acquire what it doesn’t have. So, in this situation, why wasn’t that question asked and answered before these men were captured or not later than at the time of their capture? Or, was it? Ism.
© Coninc., TheDownsideUp.Com 2007
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a United States Senator from Wisconsin who went on a witch hunt looking for the evil hearted, otherwise known as communists. Before now, his mission could perhaps only have been likened to the hunt of a much earlier time in Salem, Massachusetts, the Salemism.
It has often been said that history repeats itself and the making thereof should be done by using great caution. Looks like caution has been thrown to the wind, again.
Twenty people were put to death in Salem and ten times that many were imprisoned. The source of the unusual and unexpected events appear to have been two young girl cousins who were prone to throwing violent temper tantrums. Recordation whether the tantrums were intentional or unintentional is lacking but it is of particular interest that it was common for onset to begin when each was forced to endure sermons delivered by the father of one of them.
Initially, indictments were urged against three women: a slave, a homeless lady, and a disgruntled ill-tempered soul. These creatures were throw aways and the Salem society was looking for a well-sanctioned and unquestionable avenue to do just that. The three shared a fate that consisted of looking, acting, and sounding differently from other people within the community and thus they were easy, lay-down targets for bigotry to be carried out in the name of protection and religion. Each of the hunted, and later haunted, stood accused of practicing their magic upon those two pure, innocent children. (After all, what other than the casting of a wicked curse would cause a nine year old to cover their eyes, kick their feet, and scream as loudly as their tender lungs permit during a Preacher’s preaching? What indeed.)
An accusation was easy enough to make and once made it carried the absolute right to effect torment on the accused. Anyone who had a problem with a neighbor, storekeeper, or barber could point a finger and whisper, “witch.” The power of that word carried more than magic and instantly transformed ordinary people into desperate individuals isolated from reasonableness and sanity. There isn't much to be said about the necessary level of evidence when the guilt was determined by weighting the accused with bricks or the like and dunking them in water to see whether they floated or sunk. If the accused drowned it was certain they had been innocent and wrongly accused. If the poor soul floated it was determined the accusation had been well-founded.
Senator Joseph McCarthy viewed communism as the ultimate evil which threatened our American society, sophisticated as it was in the early fifties. With almost unbelievable energy and zeal, McCarthy pursued and slaughtered reputations of innocent Americans who were only guilty of having exercised their constitutionally protected right to assemble together and pursue their guaranteed liberties. By nothing more than mere allegation with a he said, she said backdrop, McCarthy used his legislative position to stalk, capture, and destroy his prey. His tools included near endless badgering, bellowing, and psychological battering. Only after he reeked much havoc did the Senate finally discipline him.
This week a Military Court dismissed cases pending against two accused terrorists on the basis that the United States didn’t have jurisdiction to conduct a trial. These proposed terrorists have been captives of our government notwithstanding that we had no jurisdiction over them. So, how does the U.S. explain the detention of the two victims for a long period of time? Jurisdiction either is or it isn’t and if it isn’t, it never was.
The United States needs a system that protects citizens from terrorism to the equal degree that it provides legal remedies from non-terrorism acts, but it is unfair to subject anyone to humiliation, torture, and isolation based on their belief, skin color, and gender. Name calling, or label placing just ain’t right.
In any legal matter the first question a tribunal must settle is whether it has the authority to render justice. It isn’t a novel question. It is the very first basic question because if there isn’t any authority, there isn’t any authority. The tribunal can’t acquire what it doesn’t have. So, in this situation, why wasn’t that question asked and answered before these men were captured or not later than at the time of their capture? Or, was it? Ism.
© Coninc., TheDownsideUp.Com 2007
Labels: EglPress
posted by KKHC | 10:40 AM
