The Un-American Treatment of Sami Al-Arian
By Charley Reese

Dr. Sami Al-Arian as seen in the award-winning documentary “USA vs. Al-Arian.” A list of upcoming screenings is available at the film’s Web site, (www.usavsalarian.com.)

WHEN OUR government acts, it acts in our name. If its acts are lawful and honorable, all’s well and good. When they are dishonorable, we have a choice: Either we dissent or assent, even if by our silence.

In the case of Dr. Sami Al-Arian, the Bush Justice Department has acted in a most disgraceful manner. Al-Arian was arrested in February 2003 with great fanfare (U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the arrest). The voluminous indictment in general terms accused al-Arian of supporting terrorism by being the U.S. leader of Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian pro-independence group the U.S. government chooses to call a terrorist organization.

The first dishonorable act was to deny him bail. He was held in prison, innocent in the eyes of our law, for two years before they got around to a trial. That lasted five months. The government’s case was so nonsensical that his lawyers did not even present one witness. They rested their case as soon as the prosecution rested its case.

The jury saw it the same way. It voted not guilty on practically all of the counts and reported that it was deadlocked, 10 to 2, in favor of acquittal, on the others. Al-Arian’s reaction to the verdict: “God bless America.” The government should have released al-Arian while it made up its mind whether to retry him on the remaining counts. Instead, he was kept in prison.

By this time, Al-Arian was broke, his family distraught, so he negotiated a plea bargain. In the plea bargain, the Justice Department agreed that what he was pleading guilty to (helping some immigrants) involved no violence, no victims and no support for a forbidden organization. The Justice Department also agreed to a minimum sentence.
UNFORTUNATELY, AL-ARIAN MAY HAVE BEEN DOUBLE-CROSSED BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. IS HE STILL IN JAIL? I CAN’T DETERMINE…

Then came those who thought they could fly
Did they see the angels or was it just I
The world watched in horror, but did they really see
911, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, Nagasaki; their truth is hidden from thee

The day the twins came tumbling to the ground
Did you notice America was standing down
Number seven where the plans were made
Destroyed in six seconds to everyone’s dismay

A hunt for the Boeing shows no pieces of a flight
Giving new meaning to hidden in plain sight
Shanksville also is something to consider
There was no evidence in that 1994 crater

Weapon of terror was the vicious foe
One without pity, heart or soul
For the terrorist only had one goal
And in Copenhagen you will see your constitution go.

DGH…

I have a bunch of names to add to my list over there (twitter). For those of you who’ve been wondering Jeff Stein came out because he is no longer with CQ, and I’ve waiting for his next venture. As for Obama, or any twitt address with his name on it: won’t happen.

My marinated Turkey will be in the oven in about 3 hours; cranberry relish (done last night). Now, time to do the rest: stuffing, potatoes, peas & Pearl Onions (this year no beans), and of course: PUMPKIN PIE…and
I’ll have a some kind of back up meal for my 16-mo daughtergirl, just in case!

Maybe I’ll work out tomorrow…maybe not. Life is too short for stupid guilty feelings over pigging out; at least for me.

Enjoy your feast.

And to think I got in all this trouble for Doing The Math!

Have a Great Holiday everyone.

Bruce Cockburn: Tried And Tested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4-N1ftnnHs

Now i’m off to begin the the day’s cooking.

Some comic relief added into a very serious subject.
The turkey gets freedom at a spa with a partner to gobble with.

Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble……

Core Values, Human Rights, I do Solemnly Swear.

Near vegetative state sitting in the fetals unable to participate.

gobble, gobble, gooble.

11 Years 13 Months and some odd number of days.

One American Citizen.