39 "Ghost Detainees" Disappear (?!)

It seems that people turn a blind eye to any news involving the mistreating of a "terrorist". If they truly are terrorists, fine, lock them up and throw away the key. But, what if they are not terrorists? What if they are not guilty of anything? What if this was you or one of your family members? The following people have not been charged with any crime, there have been no legal proceedings, some of them are women and children, yet they were held for three or more YEARS and then they "disappeared". Why the hell is Paris Hilton the top news story again today?!

From the AP -

WASHINGTON — At least 39 people from a half-dozen countries have been held in secret U.S. detention centers worldwide for three or more years, and their fates remain unknown, six human-rights groups say in a report being released today.

Human rights advocates said the document, which they called the most comprehensive account yet of so-called "ghost detainees," raises new alarms about the Bush administration's practice of secretly detaining suspected terrorists without any legal proceeding.

The report says that in five instances U.S. authorities detained the wives or young children of suspects held in secret prisons. And in four instances, terrorism suspects in U.S. custody may have been transferred to Libya, once a major adversary of Washington.

"It should be a sobering alarm bell that rattles us all out of our collective slumber," said Curt Goering, a top official at Amnesty International, which helped prepare the report.

One of the reports' authors said she wasn't convinced that the sites were ever emptied, and claimed a program of secret detentions was ongoing.

"We wanted (the detainees') names in the public eye because of the impression that this is over, this is finished, and they're not doing this anymore," said Anne Fitzgerald, a senior adviser for Amnesty International. "That's clearly not the case."

Farewell Falwell

I'm sure you've heard the Reverend Jerry Falwell has died. I have mixed feelings about writing anything negative about someone after their death, but after the past 24 hours of hearing what a "saint" he was, I have to speak up. I'm not glad that he died, I'm never happy to hear of anyone dying. I feel bad for his family and anyone that loved him, but with that said, I hope people remember who this man truly was.

This is the man that referred to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Civil Rights Movement" as "Civil Wrongs Movement". He referred to Ellen as "Ellen Degenerate" and demanded sponsors yank their advertising from her show. He claimed the "Antichrist" will be a Jewish man. He called Noble Peace prize winner, Desmond Tutu a "phony". He called AIDS God's punishment for homosexuality. In case there's anyone who hasn't been offended yet, I'll leave you with a few of his quotes.

Falwell on segregation: "If Chief Justice Warren and his associates had known God's word and had desired to do the Lord's will, I am quite confident that the 1954 decision would have never been made."

Falwell on schools: "I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them."

Falwell on Bush: "I am such a strong admirer and supporter of George W. Bush that if he suggested eliminating the income tax or doubling it, I would vote yes on first blush.

Falwell on Ellen: "Vice President Gore recently praised the lesbian actress who plays 'Ellen' on ABC Television...I believe he may even put children, young people, and adults in danger by his public endorsement of deviant homosexual behavior...Our elected leaders are attempting to glorify and legitimize perversion."

Falwell on global warming: "I believe that global warming is a myth. And so, therefore, I have no conscience problems at all and I'm going to buy a Suburban next time."

Falwell on terrorists: "God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve."

Falwell on 9/11: "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say you helped this happen".

Falwell on civil liberties: "The First Amendment is not without limits." " The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews."

RIP Jerry