February 25, 2014 at 2:32 P.M. I was pleased to attend a talk, recently, that was given by my daughter at her beloved alma matter. I believe that parents are always a young person's most important mentors. I am pleased to have introduced my daughter to feminist writers before she attended high school and that she was kind enough to acknowledge the fact (and so much more) in cards and notes to me as well as her mother over the years, and in a conversation after her talk.
Having attended every sporting event and performance (to my knowledge) in her life is a special thrill. I am proud of the adult woman she is still in the process of becoming and hopeful that she will pursue her academic interests, as a graduate student, without losing a sense of identification with others, especially family members, who may be very different from herself.
While I am greatly troubled about and frightened by my child's future challenges, this concern has little to do with her and much to do with the world in which she must live her life and some of the persons in that world. There is great evil all around us which must be opposed and destroyed without ourselves succumbing to evil.
This is evil for which her nation and the world -- not her generation -- bears responsibility. This is to say nothing of the evils closer to home posed by criminals and other undesirable persons, as I have said -- whose humanity must never be forgotten -- despite the horror that they have embraced and become.
I love you, always, my baby. You were (and are) great. I am always at your side, unconditionally, without expectation of return.
Christopher Baxter, "New Round of Subpoenas in Bridge Scandal: Committee to battle hold-outs Kelly, Steplin," The Star Ledger, February 11, 2014, p. 1. (Legislative committee controlled by Democrats in New Jersey is fishing for information that may be used against Christie in any future elections.)
Ryan Hutchins, "Christie's Attorneys Seek More Records: They request Hoboken mayor's journal and interviews with other city officials," The Star Ledger, February 11, 2014, p. 13. (Fishing, boys?)
Alex Zehan, "Attorney General's Office Targets Removal of Mayor," The Star Ledger, February 11, 2014, p. 17. (Removal of the now-convicted Tony Mack is long overdue. Will Dawn Zimmer be next?)
Alyssa Morse, "Bail Maintained in Sexual Assault," The Star Ledger, February 11, 2014, p. 17. (Thomas Curran, 51, held on bail after sexually assaulting an 11 year-old girl for whom he was providing after-school care in West Windsor, New Jersey. Allegations of Mr. Curran's political "connections" cannot be confirmed at this time.)
Tom Hayden, "Mom Admitted Hurting Child, Authorities Say," The Star Ledger, February 11, 2014, p. 20. (Raquel Ramirez, 30, physically and otherwise abused her 2 year-old daughter. It cannot be O.K. to commit such crimes because a woman is, or claims to be, a lesbian: "Diana's Friend Goes to Prison" and "Marilyn Straus Was Right!" then "Trenton's Nasty Lesbian Love-Fest.")
Nelson D. Schwartz, "The Middle Class is Steadily Eroding. Just Ask the Business World," The New York Times, February 11, 2014, p. A1. (This is the kind of peril faced by today's college graduates discovering a difficult job market, especially if they have not attended elite schools -- as I did not, initially -- who are seeking to become "successful" today. The economy and world's resources are dwindling very rapidly.)
Marc Santora, "Documents In Scandal Set to Start Pouring In: Christie Inquiry Could Take Weeks," The New York Times, February 3, 2014, p. A14. (More games being played on the banks of the old Raritan.)
Vivian Yee, "Petition Seeking to Void Brooklyn Murder Conviction Calls Verdict a Sham," The New York Times, February 3, 2014, p. A15. (Reversal of conviction based on prosecutor lying, covering-up evidence of innocence, recanting witnesses, and far worse unethical and criminal conduct: "Prosecutorial Misconduct" and "New Jersey's 'Ethical' Legal System" then "John McGill, Esq., the OAE, and N.J. Corruption.")
Colin Moynahan, "His Refusal to Testify Wins Freedom For Brooklyn Man," The New York Times, February 4, 2014, p. A18. (Gerald Koch, 24, of Brooklyn, N.Y. cannot be compelled to testify against himself, neither through hypnosis and/or drugging nor torture, not even forced incarceration. Mr. Koch is not cooperating.)
Kimberly Dozier, "U.S. Considering Drone Attack On An American Citizen," The Star Ledger, February 11, 2014, p. 21.
"WASHINGTON -- The case of an American citizen and suspected member of Al Qaeda who is ALLEGEDLY planning attacks on U.S. targets overseas underscores the complexities of President Obama's new stricter targeting guidelines for the use of deadly drones."
Commentators on the questionable legality and ethics of America's drone killing policy find the complications emerging from developments in U.S. practices both bizarre and disturbing, but also absurd. ("America's Drone Murders.")
On the one hand, a U.S. claim to the power to kill by way of a robotic missile any person ("target") located anywhere in the world, for reasons which are not disclosed to anyone -- including the victim -- on the basis of evidence that is also not revealed; and to kill anyone else who just happens to be in the area, as collateral damage (including, recently, an entire wedding party in Pakistan), is absolute.
On the other hand, there is a strict adherence to bureaucratic distinctions governing which governmental agency may do this killing, or when the killing may be done. Procedural and administrative rules are crucial. The value of innocent human lives to be sacrificed is trivial or a non-consideration. ("The Wanderer and His Shadow" and "Nihilists in Disneyworld.")
Has this matter been placed in the hands of the IRS? Disdain for international human rights laws is easy. Turf wars among soldiers and spies as well as other officials make things difficult. ("American Lawyers in the Torture Debate" and "The Allegory of the Cave.")
"The CIA drones watching him" -- an American citizen "deemed" dangerous -- "cannot strike because he [the victim to be] is a U.S. citizen. The Pentagon drones that could perform the necessary deed under our mysterious 'rules' are barred from the country where this person is hiding. The Justice Department has not yet finished building a case against him."
The American Constitution requires every person subject to U.S. law, especially American citizens, to receive due process of law before any governmental deprivation of "life, liberty, or property," or even before violating vague and judicially created "fundamental rights," such as the right to privacy, there must be similar restraints on state actions. This will come as news to the NSA. ("NSA Spying Is Illegal.")
There is no official "battlefield" in the country where this person is located, allegedly, also no emergency -- since the U.S. government has been debating, publicly, what to do about this so-called "threat" for months.
The U.S. could seek extradition of this individual, in accordance with international law and treaty obligations, which will allow the Justice Department to have its fun after so many months of preparing a case and indictment.
Such a legal effort would require evidence of guilt to be produced and introduced before a tribunal. Planning or thinking of something in your mind is not criminal guilt.
Secrecy is the enemy of freedom and democracy. Saying that the government "deems" someone to be "potentially dangerous" (whatever that means) is not saying much. There must be an opportunity for the accused to face the evidence, challenge and/or respond to such evidence in a court of law, in addition to being offered the chance to submit countering evidence or explanations before any state violations of autonomy take place. ("Terry Tuchin, Diana Lisa Riccioli, and New Jersey's Agency of Torture" and "How censorship works in America.")
I believe that Senator Paul and Mr. Boehner are "dangerous" and pose a serious threat to our civil liberties as Americans. However, I would not wish to see them injured by a drone weapon, or otherwise harmed, without due process of law.
As Joseph Stalin once explained: "First, we give them a trial; then we shoot them."
It also may not be proper to listen to Americans' phone conversations without a warrant, indiscriminately, nor to the calls of foreign leaders, like Vilma Roussef of Brazil and Vladimir Putin of Russia, not even to Mr. Cameron's calls in the UK, or Ms. Merkel's acknowledgment that her Mercedes Benz had been serviced and was ready to be driven to the Opera. Do we really need to know this stuff, Mr. Obama?
Privacy may be desired by non-Americans as well as American citizens. It may be that persons -- who are not American citizens -- may still be human beings with legal rights in their own countries, including the modest right not to be blown to pieces as collateral damage in an American military effort against "terror." (Again: "America's Drone Murders.")
" ... the president could make an exception to his policy and authorize the CIA to strike on a one-time basis [hoping they won't miss!] or authorize the Pentagon to act despite the possible objections of the country in question."
Mr. Holland will not mind a drone missile landing at the Presidential Palace in Paris, why should other countries mind such a little thing? No reason.
Ignore their objections and thank them for "cooperating" in the war on terror, then nuke them all. That sounds fair.
