Post by gretchenm on Sept 26, 2008 18:24:18 GMT -5
11/2/07
JOHN SHERFFIUS
for the "Boulder Daily Camera"
The cartoon illustrates Spaniards forcing water in a man’s mouth by plugging his nose while he is bound and near complete nakedness. The scene represents water-boarding. The phrase below the cartoon, “The Bush Adminquisition”, is a reference to the Spanish Inquisition, and portrays the author’s view on the Bush Administration likened to the Spaniards involved in the mass ill treatment of certain peoples. The Spanish Inquisition began in 1478, when Spain was united under Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand who also were Catholics. Jews were forced to convert or be killed or expelled from the country. Muslims had once controlled Spain, but were forced out ten years after the Jews. Since 2001, several cases of water boarding existed, and some information was reported through the media. The CIA director did not confirm publicly that water boarding was discontinued in 2005. That year The Detainee Act was passed which stated that cruel and inhumane treatment of detainees was illegal, but only by the Armed Forces. Bush signed an exclusion of the CIA concerning the “Ban” in 2007.
Terrorists do not come from one religion or specific background. Several known terrorists were “Muslim”, but they are a minority that should not cause discrimination for other Muslims or others in general. Smiting fellow human beings does not seem to live up to the professed claims of “brotherly love” and “liberty” this country is rooted to. McCain made the heart felt quote “It’s no different than holding a pistol to his head and firing a blank.” Water-boarding probably has worse physical and mental abuses than a blank.
