Test for Cook County kids

Saturday, November 7, 2006

Can you say, habeas corpus? Can you say, enemy combatant?

Okay, sports fans, here you go:

Listen up, kids, and unbutton those listening ears.

Number one, surprise, surprise: democracy as a form of government was invented by the ancient Greeks, not the Founding Fathers. And shock and awe: the Magna Carta of 1215 in England was an agreement protecting basic rights of citizens, and the wicked King John was forced to sign up. Yes, correct, that was nearly 800 years ago, and NOBODY has challenged it since, not that is until Dubya wandered along and seized power as the Decider. Okay, the Geneva Conventions came a bit later, in the 19^th century (1864), but most nations of the world including this one signed on to it--torture and other war crimes being declared a no-no. Thanks to the swashbuckling cowboy Prez, the evildoer Saddam Hussein is being tried for such crimes. Well, with the WMD he didn’t have and all, the world is so much safer. Only one little hitch: the evildoers at Bushco (can you say, government and corporation interlocking directorates?) are passing legislation to exempt themselves from the same and similar crimes.

Yes, kiddies, it is true. Tear yourselves away from your video games long enough to wonder what would happen to you if, say, in one of those games you fantasized on shooting the Prez. Here’s the deal: He could declare you an “enemy combatant.” He has already convinced Congress to suspend your rights to habeas corpus. Say what? “Enemy” and “combatant” dictionary definitions make “torture” look clear and explicit. Enemies and combatants alike really just DISAGREE in a manner that challenges the Decider. But, the Decider decides that they are enemies, and/or combatants. The Decider gets to take them away, hide them in secret offshore prisons and torture them for years, and never, never have to bring them to trial. But, if they should come to trial, they don’t have any rights to challenge the evidence against them. I don’t know about you, young ‘uns, but to me the phrase “Innocent until proven guilty” has an all-American ring.

The Cowboy Decider

Dyslexic and illiterate, the cowboy prez can barely read the scripts written for him during speeches. Catch him off guard and he loses it. These precious moments are immortalized in places like the Jon Stewart show, endearing moments captured on YouTube. What a hoot!

Yes, Virginia, inherited Texas oil money can buy you a Yale degree, a no-show in the military, and even a presidential election. Poppa, remember the guy who kicked ass by “softening” Iraq, bombing hundreds of thousands of civilians in the early 1990’s? And the famous Barbara, that gracious lady who told New Orleans refugees that they were better off, after losing their slum homes due to Katrina.

Wake up call, calling all kids!

Sports fans, WAKE UP! Your parents are brain-dead (at least insofar as taking responsibility to be an informed electorate) and you are the country’s only hope. I don’t know what you learn in school, but it is not enough. You need to scour the Internet daily for the stories that the major media conglomerates don’t cover; they are too into entertainment and sex sagas. These stories are about big stuff: mobilization for World War III, repeated crimes against the Constitution, “signing statements” that indicate the Decider won’t comply with laws passed by Congress, not to mention lies about every single action taken by the Bushco administration. Yes, kiddies, it is true. In the words of that ancient middle class sage, Ann Landers: “Wake up and smell the coffee.”

Dearlings, please believe that a substantive body of research is out there, documenting the truth of what I am saying. For starters, look at Bob Woodward’s latest: “State of Denial.”

Though this is mostly a re-hash of what has been known for years it is a good re-hash. Get it, tell your teachers to buy it and make it assigned reading. You are our best, our only hope.

Global terrors lurking

There are other big issues, just to name a few: the melting polar icecaps, dying polar bears (both of these documented by our local explorers Lonnie Dupre and Eric Larsen), the growing ozone hole over Antarctica, and the damage being done to wilderness, clean waters and native habitat by Homeland Security militarization at every border and every seaport-- including the Pigeon River crossing to Canada and the harbor in Grand Marais. To the Bushcos, war and corporate profits trump every other consideration, and war is decided upon by the Decider. I kid you not, kids. Check out the facts; be good investigative reporters. Maybe start with a website like: http://truthout.org.

Outline the historical basis for constitutional democracy, with examples.

Define: torture, enemy, combatant. Discuss your answer.