A BuzzFlash Editorial Commentary

November 27, 2001

THE ORWELLIAN WORLD OF JOHN ASHCROFT

The Orwellian World of John Ashcroft: He Won't Disclose Identities of Detainees Because He Claims He Doesn't Want to Violate Their Rights and Privacy. Then He Says That They are Not Being Held in Secret. Excuse Me!

No, BuzzFlash.com is not making this up! It gets better -- or really quite worse, to be truthful!

After Ashcroft implied, on Monday, that he, in essence, was concerned that the detainees might have their reputations tainted if the Justice Department revealed their names (what he called a "blacklist"), our Attorney General said: "We believe that when we have arrested violators of the law that we think have been associated with terrorists, that that is a valuable component of defending the United States of America."

Okay, Mr. Ashcroft, if you arrest them and hold them without charges, record their conversations with their attorneys, and call them violators of the law, what rights are you concerned about in publishing their names? Wouldn't you want their names published in case Americans could come forward with helpful information that might advance our anti-terrorist investigations? What privacy, rights, or reputations are at issue if they are part of the terrorist machine?

Recently, a teacher at a high school where a BuzzFlash staff member lives was arrested for drunken driving. She was charged and her name was printed in the local paper, because, in America, court proceedings are open. It turns out she was, ironically, the faculty member at the high school who counseled students who have had drinking and drug problems. After a brief "vacation" she chose to retire. Were her rights violated? No, she committed a violation of the law and paid the price, publicly.

If the Attorney General has already assumed that the detainees are guilty, then why is Mr. Ashcroft protecting their "rights and privacy." If some of them are innocent, their rights have already been violated. If they are guilty, then publicly charge them in a court of law. That's how the American system of justice works.

But you wouldn't know that, would you, Mr. Ashcroft? After all, you're just the Attorney General.

By the way, the Attorney General also said that he wouldn't want Osama bin Laden to know who has been detained. Somehow, we think he knows already, don't you?

It's just the American public who doesn't know.

See a Monday Reuters article that details the Attorney General's remarks: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011126/ts/attacks_investigation_6.html
"Ashcroft Won't Name Terror Detainees"

A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL COMMENTARY