Rockford's Stanley Campbell to Iran: "I apologize for my government."
Why does the Religous Left in America get such a thrill from Tyrants?
Here's what Rockford's Stanley Campbell is quoted saying in Iran per Peace Noodles at SoapBlog Chicago during his visit to Iran as a Peace Activist: I apologize for my government.
Do a search at the Soap on Jon Burge and it will come up blanks save my post today. Something's gone badly wrong with the left in Illinois and the US that they can be so indifferent to injustice in our own backyard and feel a need to travel to Iran and say sorry.
All in all it is difficult not to feel that pacifism, as it appears among a section of the intelligentsia, is secretly inspired by an admiration for power and successful cruelty.
--George Orwell
cross posted at Bill Baar's West Side
19 comments:
Interesting you would bring up "the left" and tyrants.
What sort of history does the right have?
Chile?
El Salvador?
Nicaragua?
Philippines?
Haiti?
Viet Nam?
Iraq (who can forget the Saddam/Rumsfeld photos?)
Iran? (What would have happened had the U.S. NOT supported the Shah?)
The religious left does some dumb stuff, but it almost seems petty in light of what the Republican right does deliberately and as a matter of policy.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wrote Bush,
Liberalism and Western-style democracy have not been able to help realize the
ideals of humanity. Today these two concepts have failed. Those with insight can
already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts
of the liberal democratic systems.
American's should say I'm sorry to a guy like this for anything.
We need to express our support with Iranian's like Ramin Jahanbegloo instead.
That Illinois Liberals seem indifferent to torture by Burge and the fate of Jahanbegloo... and find a need to apoligize to Ahmadinejad is the real collapse of Liberalism and the left.
Bill,
1. What evidence do you have the Illinois liberals are indifferent to Com. Burge? In fact, it was the left that went after him. The National Lawyers Guild in particular was a leader in uncovering his abuse. Look at the real liberals -- the African American Congressmen and Alderman -- and see what they did on Burge. That was how all of this came out originally.
2. Don't the words of one minister regarding Iran now seem petty when you look at what Republicans did to prop up the Shah? How about what the Republicans did in Chile? In Nicaragua?
According to Bill Baar, the words of a Rockford minister are more destructive that the actions of Presidents Ike, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush combined.
That's one powerful Rockford minister.
What evidence do you have the Illinois liberals are indifferent to Com. Burge?
Check this comment from Peace Noodles over at Soap Blog,
I can't believe it's taken someone this long to post on this subject. I know, I could have myself, but I shouldn't have to post everything dealing with people of color!
How much coverage was given to Orr's Letter? Who speaks out?
Google around check it... not many.
It's not a concern to just people of color either.
But Campbell will fly to Iran and say sorry to a regime that plans on genocide and hangs homosexuals.
Bill,
You are really losing credibility.
Do some real research and not just a quick Google search.
What was the role of the ACLU with Burge?
What about the role of the African American aldermen?
What about the National Lawyers Guild?
You act like this is some brand new problem. Fifteen years ago when I was in school the left was holding protest marches on this issue.
Welcome to the cause. We could have used your help 15 years ago.
Skeeter,
I was around in 68.
But it's today that bothers me.
Where are folks today? Saying sorry to Mullah's in Iran doesn't cut it... it's a sorry comment on today.
Bill,
You say you were around. That's interesting. When we were mobilizing in 1992 against Comm. Burge, I don't recall seeing you around.
You claim that liberals have failed to speak out against Comm. Burge. How about Danny Davis? Is a conservative pal of yours? Eugene Pinchman? Jesse Jackson. Are they conservatives? Chicago Chapter ofNational Lawyers' Guild. When did they become conservative? Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty? Bernardine Dohrn-Midwest Coalition for Human Rights? Locke Bowman? Amnesty International?
They all stood with us when the matter was going down. Are they all conservatives?
The ONLY voice against Comm. Burge has been from the left. The right has been silent.
Those are the facts.
Finally, your post is typical of the dishonesty of the right. You somehow equate the words of an obscure Rockford minister with the actions of five Republican presidents.
Let's look at TODAY. What Bush done recently in Libya? Is that now a democratic stronghold? How about Nigeria. Is Mr. Bush taking strong steps to support the democratically elected government?
But I forgot. That is all irrelevant. You see, according to Barr, the words of a Rockford minister are far more important.
Know when to fold your cards, Bill. This is an issue where you can't win.
Skeeter,
Stop wasting your time. Bill is impervious to logical reasoning. How else can you explain his bizarre "one-fringe-person-calling-him/herself-liberal = all liberals" math?
Skeeter,
Are you telling Iran's Ahmadinejad sorry too? If not, get on over to the Soap Blog and let them hear your voice. They need to hear more from Liberals, Leftists, and Progressives who find Ahmadinejad a threat to everything we value.
Have you posted much on Burge lately? I've missed it.
Bill,
He was 'mobilizing' way back in '92.
I wonder if Ramin Jahanbegloo could watch the BBC in his cell in Evin Prison... or if he was even in shape to watch it... or alive.
Why can't Liberals, Leftists, and Progressives speakout? Colbert could insult Bush... but Campbell can't speak for Jahanbegloo?
Sorry, Bill, I haven't posted on Burge.
I like current news. We got Burge fired back in 1993. I like a good pat on the back, but I am not going to give it to myself in my own blog.
We forced him out 15 years ago. 1993. It was a job done by all those liberals you despise.
You never have told us, Bill. Were you with us then? Why don't I remember seeing you around? Somehow I suspect you were one of those guys accusing us of being the friends of the criminals.
Incidently, I look forward to reading what you have to say about Libya and the strong human rights position of the government that Bush is supporting there. Oh, I'm sorry. In fact, Bush is supporting a brutal dictator there.
But who is George W. Bush, compared to a really important American, like that minister from Rockford?
Point taken, Bill. It is the LEFT that is guilty of hanging out with dictators.
Pat:
Read some history. 1992 was when we were working stop brutality. 1993 was when we got rid of Burge.
Welcome to the cause. A little late though, don't you think?
I don't think you got everyone in 1992 Skeeter. I think that's one reason we haven't seen this report yet; and may never see it.
Burge living a comfortable retirement in Florida by the way.
It may be all you got him was early retirment.
"I know there's a strong sense that justice has not been done," said Jane Bohman, executive director of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. "That's why the civil suits were filed. Because the truth was never acknowledged by our government.
"He's got a pension. He moved to Florida. He probably wanted to go softly into the night, as they say."
Bill,
We got him off the job.
That is a hell of a lot more than the conservatives have done about torture.
In fact, your Bush Administration claims that it has a right to torture.
Why aren't you blogging about that, Bill?
Is torture an important issue or not?
Let's look at the facts:
1. Liberals opposed Burge now, and in 1992 (and earlier). Conservatives called us a bunch of criminal-lovers.
2. Liberals oppose torture by the B-Team now. Conservatives call us a bunch of terrorist-lovers.
When have conservatives EVER opposed torture?
But try and keep that moral high-ground Bill. If you keep repeating it, the facts won't matter.
Bill loves to paint with a broad brush. Stereotyping is becoming his specialty. It's all black and white to him, with very little in the way of thorough research or serious reflection. Sounds like Bill's bucking for a news correspondent job with the Fox Network.
broad brush... no, consider me a pointallist... and the small point that should have been made on that BBC broadcast was this one from Amnesty International.
Academic Ramin Jahanbegloo, who has joint Iranian and Canadian citizenship, was arrested on 27 April at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. He is now believed to be held incommunicado in Evin Prison, in Tehran, where he is at risk of torture or ill-treatment. There are unconfirmed reports that he is being held in the hospital wing. He may be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely on account of the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.
Campbell's apology for Amerca was a small point that shined far... it was a sorry mistaken thing for him too say... while ignoring the similarly small point he could have made on behalf of Jahanbegloo... but perhapes that would have landed Campbell a spot with Jahanbegloo in the hospital wing of Evin Prison too.
Interesting post, Pat.
Good call. At 25 I did not take a major leadership role (or any leadership role).
You are on to me!
What is interesting is Pat's basic view of the world as seen by his post:
Only the big dogs matter to Pat. The people carrying the water are irrelevant to him.
What a great political philosphy. You are one good Republican. You've got the dogma down. The top matters. Screw the rest.
That was your point, right? Since I did not rank with Bowman, I am irrelevant. Right?
Of course, apparently you were one of the people accusing the anti-torture people of being pro-criminal, so I don't give much weight to anything you have to say on the issue.
Skeeter,
You are a whiney little guy.
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