Think Comparisons To Hitler & Stalin Are Overblown?-Just Consider "The Torture Curve" (Naomi Wolf)

Naomi Wolf
Consider the torture curve:

.....People are making the argument that the comparisons to Hitler and Stalin are overblown, largely because their own lives feel quite normal despite what they’re hearing on the news.



Naomi explains this acquiescence in terms of “mission creep,” where laws and tactics that abridge civil liberties are adopted to protect us from an “other” who suddenly becomes one’s self:



But even though Americans seem to be unhappy with their government and don’t like what the Cheney administration is doing (nor do they like the Democrats who have failed in their 2006 mandate to stop them), Naomi argues (and I think rightly) that they are largely tone deaf to the potential danger:



Discussion of this with Naomi Wolf now at Firedoglake:
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/11/10/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-naomi-wolf/

while the fascism is overtaking our nation by the hour.

in any consierate way.

THAT is why it's happened and will continue to happen. And most Dems don't care even as they claim they do.

On February 13, 2007, Senators Dodd, Feingold and Leahy brought S. 576, the Restoring the Constitution Act, to the floor of the United States Senate. This act would repeal the worst parts of the Military Commissions Act. It would:

# Restore habeas corpus for individuals held in U.S. custody.
# It narrows the definition of unlawful enemy combatant to individuals who directly participate in hostilities against the United States in a zone of active combat, who are not lawful combatants.
# Require that the United States live up to its Geneva Convention obligations by deleting a prohibition in the law that bars detainees from invoking Geneva Conventions as a source of rights at trial.
# Permit the accused to retain qualified civilian attorneys to represent them at trial.
# Prevent the use of evidence in court gained through the unreliable and immoral practices of torture and coercion.
# Give the military judge in any tribunal the responsibility for ensuring that the jury is appropriately informed as to the sources, methods and activities associated with developing out of court statements proposed to be introduced at trial, or alternatively that the statement is not introduced.
# Empower military judges to exclude hearsay evidence they deem to be unreliable.
# Authorize the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces to review decisions by the military commissions.
# Limit the authority of the President to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva Conventions and makes that authority subject to congressional and judicial oversight.
# Clarify the definition of war crimes in statute to include certain violations of the Geneva Conventions.
# Provide for expedited judicial review of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 to determine the constitutionally of its provisions.

So far, Christopher Dodd, Russ Feingold, and Patrick Leahy are the only senators to co-sponsor this legislation. Of these three, only Christopher Dodd is running for President Conspicuous is the complete lack of involvement by the other senators who are currently running for President. Barack Obama has not co-sponsored the Restoring The Constitution Act. Hillary Clinton is not a co-sponsor. Neither is Joseph Biden.

I can’t find any place where Obama, Clinton or Biden have even mentioned the existence of the Restoring The Constitution Act. Do they just not care about the slaughter of American freedom enabled by the Military Commissions Act?

Note to Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, and Senator Biden: This is a presidential campaign issue. It’s an issue of values. It’s an issue of character. It’s an issue of freedom. Get on the ball.

http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2007/02/20/restore-constitution-threesens/

good read