SotG and UNCAT

Yaaar!!!! Yes, just another bloodthirsty buccaneer. This one an Eastern European Pirate (EEP), pasting himself all over something called "Veto". Well it appears another bloodthirsty buccaneer is involved in "Veto"...but more on that in a bit.

SotG is short for one of the cornerstones of the Sport-I-Play, ultimate frisbee. Spirit of the Game is a part of the rules, and those unfamiliar with it can read about it here. I've had a long and storied past with some of the worst spirited teams ever assembled. UNCW and ECU were constant opponents for Duke. One particulary exciting game involved about 5 of the UNCW coach's friends atop a scissor lift they moved from endzone to endzone so they could occasionally toss empty beer cans at our team before a pull. At least they had the astuteness to drink all the beer. Blatant cheating, fouling, and trying-everything-they-could-get-away-with was standard practice. They've got a terrible reputation for "Carolina-Style" ultimate and that reputation is deserved.

One acronym down! One to go. UNCAT is the United Nations Convention Against Torture. Sorry I don't have something furrier or cuddlier to talk about. Now, I could go through the various articles, but pretty much UNCAT was where the nations came together and declared that hurting people (physically or mentally) in order to extract ( I hate that euphamism) information is wrong. This is also covered pretty well in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Both of these things are solidified realizations of an application of a more basic human understanding: the golden rule.

Back to the bloodthirsty buccaneer's Veto. One of the President's most fantastic powers is that of the veto. The American system of "checks and balances" so wisely put into place by those crazy founding fathers would be severely weakened if the executive branch didn't have it. But now is not the time for arguing about how messed up the checks and balances are becoming.

Now is the time for asking why the President is going to use his veto power for the FIRST time on a defense spending bill that provides funding for troops in Iraq because there is a provision in it to forbid torture by US troops. The measure passed the senate 90-9. A quick look at the Senate shows that this is an overwhelming bi-partisan effort. Remarkable, yet hardly suprising considering the national embarrassment of Abu Ghraib as well as allegations surrounding Guantanamo Bay. Seems only right to correct something that makes us look evil in the eyes of the rest of the world...not to mention something that makes the highlight reel of the latest terrorist training video.
A quick search for Abu Ghraib to hotlink a site to the above mention found pictures much worse (but still censored for decency) than those shown to the vast majority of the American Public.

The veto of the amendment which includes the bit about forbidding cruel and inhumane punishment would mean a veto of the whole $440 billion spending package, leaving troops on the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan without enough funding as early as November. Further risking our soldiers' lives so you can keep cruel torture around? *$&^$#@*(# !

I can't even begin to express how ridiculous I think this is...but it's for damn sure that the President and his administration are completely against the SotG of humanity. He seems undeterred about the use of torture and unembarrased about Abu Ghraib. If he "knows the heart" of Harriet Miers and wants to hire her, then he should look at the heart of the world and fire himself. Bloodthirsty buccaneer indeed.

From a post-election press conference, Nov 4, 2004.

Question: Do you feel more free, sir?

The President: Oh, in terms of feeling free, well, I don't think you'll let me be too free. There's accountability and there are constraints on the presidency, as there should be in any system. I feel -- I feel it is necessary to move an agenda that I told the American people I would move. Something refreshing about coming off an election, even more refreshing since we all got some sleep last night, but there's -- you go out and you make your case, and you tell the people this is what I intend to do. And after hundreds of speeches and three debates and interviews and the whole process, where you keep basically saying the same thing over and over again, that when you win, there is a feeling that the people have spoken and embraced your point of view, and that's what I intend to tell the Congress, that I made it clear what I intend to do as the President, now let's work to -- and the people made it clear what they wanted, now let's work together.

And it's one of the wonderful -- it's like earning capital. You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style.