December 30, 2003
For The Record - Conspiracies & Osama
Every time someone brings up Dean's name on the talking head shows lately, they either want to talk about his 'defense of Osama' or his 'conspiracy mongering.' In chronological order, let's review.
Maureen Farrell in a BuzzFlash editorial posted the transcript of the segment where Dean allegedly accused Bush of having been warned about 9-11, emphasis mine:
Caller: "Once we get you in the White House, would you please make sure that there is a thorough investigation of 911 and not stonewalling?"
Howard Dean: "Yes there is a report which the president is suppressing evidence for, which is a thorough investigation of 911.
Diane Rehm: "Why do you think he is suppressing that report?
Howard Dean: "I don't know. There are many theories about it. The most interesting theory that I've heard so far -- which is nothing more than a theory, it can't be proved -- is that he was warned ahead of time by the Saudis. Now who knows what the real situation is? But the trouble is, by suppressing that kind of information, you lead to those kind of theories, whether they have any truth to them or not, and eventually, they get repeated as fact. So I think the president is taking a great risk by suppressing the key information that needs to go to the Kean Commission." [Wamu.org]
So, a statement that the supression of information leads to wild conspiracy theories is morphed into a statement supporting conspiracy theories. A deliberate twist of meaning that even fellow Democrats like Flavia Colgan who appeared tonight on Scarborough Country won't correct, but instead insist that Dean apologize.
According to CNN, Dean said this other appalling thing:
"I've resisted pronouncing a sentence before guilt is found," Dean said in the interview. "I will have this old-fashioned notion that even with people like Osama, who is very likely to be found guilty, we should do our best not to, in positions of executive power, not to prejudge jury trials."
Which is horrible, because in cases where people are clearly guilty, we in America prefer to skip the trial and hang them from the nearest tree. Sorry, wrong country. If Timothy McVeigh, Charles Manson, and Jeffrey Dahmer can get trials, so can bin Laden.
Trials aren't extended only to worthy people who deserve to be defended. They're extended to everyone by worthy societies that deserve to live under the rule of law instead of the law of the jungle. Justice as a legal concept is put forth to contradict the premise that anything you can do, you should do. It's a counterbalance to the 'might makes right' sort of rules humans used to live by, and under which any prosperity is short-lived.
What anyone who would oppose this reasonable statement fails to realize is that fairly applied laws are the strength of a civilized society, not a weakness.
Posted by natasha at December 30, 2003 03:56 AM | TrackBack