by Jennifer C. HuntSad Day for Democracy
Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four alleged co-conspirators accused of organizing the Sept. 11, 2001, will be tried in a military court, possibly at Guantanamo.
We have a criminal justice system that is not perfect but has worked satisfactorily to assure the rights of the accused while bringing terrorists to justice.
To me, the decision that the 9/11 suspects can’t be tried in the criminal justice system underscores the lack of faith that many in the U.S. have in democracy.
It was foolish to propose that the trial be held in New York City. It would have cost taxpayers too much. It would have created even more tension, fear and a painful reliving of events than did the Air force One plane that sped across the Manhattan skyline in a photo-op that New Yorkers weren’t warned about.
The trial could have been held somewhere else.
Meanwhile, the religious zealot who burned the Koran in Florida and is causing havoc in Afghanistan has the protection of the U.S. constitution. There is no law against burning bibles, flags, or Korans.
Apparently, his actions couldn’t be interpreted as a hate crime.
In my mind he is no different from the Taliban in his fundamentalist belief and the rage and fury that informs his black and white view of the world and his grandiose sense that he, and only he, has insight into the correct interpretation of the Muslim religion as well, I suspect, as Christianity.
Jennifer,
I will respectfully disagree.
Guarantees of a fair trial are no different under the military system of justice (Uniform Code of Military Justice and Manual for Courts Martial) than those guaranteed under the civilian criminal justice system.
KSM, son of a whore that he is, and his goat screwing buddies will receive a fair trial at the hands of professional Soldiers who happen to be lawyers…Staff Judge Advocates. He can choose a military attorney, or he can be defended by a civilian attorney…his choice. Either way, we…the taxpayers…will pay for that service.
The only way I would have agreed for this son of a bitch to be tried in NYC or anywhere else would be that when convicted, he would face immediate execution by hanging.
As for Jones, he and his flock are mouth breathing, inbred morons…but they have a right to express their beliefs under the 1A of the Bill of Rights…just like his fellow clan of slack jawed booger eatin idiots in the Westboro Baptist Church.
But I do agree with Jones on one point…muslims don’t need an excuse to go on a rampage, slaughtering we “infidels”, particularly in that part of the world…they just need to find a point of disagreement between “the religion of peace” and the rest of us and act on it as encouraged by their imams.
Mike,
I didn’t mean to suggest that the military system of justice can’t bring justice. It’s just that I believe that justice can be delivered in the criminal justice system and should. I don’t like our continual support of a lot of policies that were begun during the Bush administration, including labeling undesirables enemy combatants and subjecting them to different laws.
I think Guantanamo was and is a disaster. There were innocent people who stayed there for years without legal representation. Some are out and have written books that make me ashamed of our government and the duplicity it sometimes represents i.e. we claim to be fighting for democracy but then deny its application when some politician decides its time to make an exception (I feel the same way about torture – no way, no how, I don’t care who is involved).
I do not think any trial of 9/11 terrorist suspects should be in New York. It could have been held in a state that advocates capital punishment although I think that’s far more merciful than life without parole in prison, particularly if the relevant parties are put in the general population.
But I’m the type of wishy washy liberal who believes in Justice but not vengeance. Not that I don’t think there are people who don’t deserve to die. (the Black list so to speak).
I am in support of Jones right to do what he did. But I hate any kind of grandiose fundamentalism whether it be Christian, Muslim or Buddhist although I suspect the third is least obnoxious.
jch