No.18 Bus - The route goes by Hell

[dotinthesky]

I've been catching my morning bus to work right beside the police station where the British Guantánamo Bay terror suspects were held for interrogations. I saw the cameras yesterday morning and suspected that Paddington Green's police station was the temporary home for notorious men.

It's funny how you can be only a few feet away from people who stand for history and not even realize it. In their case, the history of America's human rights violations. There I was, freezing to death while waiting for the No.18 bus, leaning against the police station, thinking about buying a cup of tea when I got to work, and hoping that no pigeons would shit on my head. Just a few feet away, inside the cells, sat men that had been put through torture and deprivation.

Are these men guilty? And of what exactly? Planning a massive terror attack or simply offering a bed to a terrorist? Guilty by association or action? If we are so superior to them, then surely we could treat them with the same laws we have devised for ourselves?

And, if they were really guilty, would America have returned them to Britain?

I know I'm asking obvious questions. I don't read depressing news that often anymore but, when I do, it's like a month's worth of sewage gets poured into my mind again and again and again.

Thank you kixie for the link.

Comments

[steer.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about it a lot last night. In amidst these big world events and the horrible things going on in Iraq, I suppose it is easier for me to focus on individual injustices. It seems these people are guilty of nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the result is years of torture which will take them a lifetime to forget. Life is just so unfairly fragile and you only get the one. How awful to just have your life changed irrevokably for the worse because you're accidentally crushed between large and seemingly senseless political events on the move.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It's the kind of experience that can't be healed, in my opinion. What kind of psychiatrist is prepared to deal with their traumas? Perhaps the only good thing that could come out of it is their own personal stories (which I hope they don't sell to The Sun!)

[4q.livejournal.com]

not reading depressing news doesn't mean it's going away

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Nope. I don't even know if there are news that are not depressing.

[4q.livejournal.com]

dammit, my other comment didn't post...I said there was good news you just have to look a little harder

I was talking about a pregnant lady that survived unharmed a semi trailor flying into her car and crushing it almost completely. She walked away from the accident. if you look at the news wires you might pick up the story. I think that's good.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

That's a good story... I guess you are right. It's really how you look at the news, and life.

[4q.livejournal.com]

it totally is. my dad has this wonderful saying that he heard when he was in university. (I actually think i Have told you this before and if i have I am sorry) but his teacher (who was from communist russia) told him, in Russia the news is beautiful, but the life is horrible, in North America, the news is horrible but the life is beautiful.

I love that so much

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I think it used to be like that in the golden age... but now in America the news is horrible and life even more (at least for a good chunk of the population.)

[4q.livejournal.com]

it's a matter of comparison, i think in most cases a horrible life here isn't so horrible if you live in the slums of a third world country.

I think a lot of people make their lives horrible in north america (through drug use, etc etc) because they have a choice.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Very very true. Just look at the lives of those people hit by tsunami for example. That kind of event should put people's lives in perspective.

[4q.livejournal.com]

exactly. Honestly I want to quit my job and go help them. I wonder if you get paid for that ( my loan still needs to get paid I would do it for free if it didn't)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I heard they need qualified help, like doctors and nurses. I think there were tons of volunteers who wanted to help, but what they need is people who can help the ones still in the hospitals.