My letter to John McCain

[pecunium]

Senator,

I am disgusted. Your recent attempt to pretend you are defending prisoners of war appalls me.

The language of your bill puts it completely in the power of the president to decide what is torture (who admits to wanting to allow techniques we called toture when the Soviets used them, who admits to having his agents use those techniques), and makes it impossible (because of the court stripping language, and the retroactivity clause) for the courts to review those cases.

I am an interrogtor, and I am aghast that you, of all people, would sanction such a thing.

You have broken faith with your fellows, those who were imprisoned with you in Hanoi, and those who will be imprisoned in the future. You are breaking faith with the principles of the nation, which demand fair treatment for all; presume innoncence of the arrested and requires that we uphold not just the letter, but the spirit of the treaties we sign.

When you complain that places like the NYTimes and the ACLU are calling it sanctioning of torture, well it's clear to me that I am not one of the people you think will recognise it as making me any safer.

I think, in fact, it not only makes my job harder, but it makes my fellow soldiers less safe, and does absolutely nothing to protect the people of the United States.

Where once you had my respect, you have now earned my contempt.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

If you haven't sent it yet, I suggest you move the "I am an interrogator" line to the top. It's going to be read by some flack who will decide whether or not to pass it along, and that line established your bona fides.

[moropus.livejournal.com]

One assumes John McCain was tortured himself. How could he possibly do this?

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

The same thing occurred to me.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

CC the other 49

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Sorry.

I just Did It To You again.

[ratmmjess.livejournal.com]

Well done, sir.

[dolmena.livejournal.com]

I hope you don't mind my friending you.

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[larryhammer]

Thank you for this. I've been trying, and failing, to write to him all weekend, as a constituent.

---L.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Too late. See where it says almost two in the morning... I was up, helping Maia with a couple of papers (proofreading mostly) and I saw him whining about being harshly treated in the press; so I dashed that off.

TK

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

You're not sorry.

At least you aren't trolling me, which has happened from time to time.

TK

[punzel.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear. I'll send you the postage.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

What's the hang-up? If you don't know what to say, well all can do is point you to things I've written, or to Glenn Greenwald, , Orcinus, and Making Light.

Something in those ought to help you.

If it's just finding his e-mail, http//mccain.senate.gov is what I used.

You have to give an Arizona addres (this is more irksome when I am trying to write people whose jobs in the house/senate, mean they represent more than just their constituents) but that's about all.

When I write to a committee chair, or leader, I use 1234 Main Street, and tell them I am writing them in their extra-duty job.

For things like McCain, where it's a personal thing, I just use an address. Since I lived in Phoenix for a summer, I just use my old address, he can figure out if it's supposed to be St, or Ave.

TK

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I'll survive. Makikthise did it to me last week, too.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

Wild applause.

DV

[karl-lembke.livejournal.com]

Maybe it gives him some perspective about the difference between real torture and what the crybaby class is calling "torture".

[larryhammer]

The anger had been in the way of the words. You gave me a way to chisel them out, for which I thank you. E-mail went off after readiung this.

---L.

[anna-en-route.livejournal.com]

Here here!

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of service.

TK

[blackcoat.livejournal.com]

There are 99 other senators.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Yup--dumb mistake.

But the cc would still be good.

[commodorified.livejournal.com]

My admiration for you continues to grow daily, sir, or as we say in my corner of livejournal to convey the same thought: I think I love you, marry me?

Well said, and bravely done.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

You know, I had someone else make the offer, she got lots of grief from someone who was clueless on the idea.

Flattered, I'll see what Maia has to say on the matter.

TK

[grendelkhan.livejournal.com]

Congrats, you're famous. (Avedon Carol (http://sideshow.me.uk/ssep06.htm#09251839) famous, at least.)

[commodorified.livejournal.com]

Well, I understand from folk songs, which are surely to be trusted, that if one is in the Army one is permitted one wife per country... :)