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

[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.