Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Who will lead us back into the light?

We know night has descended when darkness devours the sunset’s last colors and we can no longer find our way. We know our land is in darkness when our spiritual leaders fail to speak out with the full force of moral authority against degrading and inhumane treatment of persons our government tells us are our enemies. We know barbarity has descended upon America when so-called gentlemen defend torture and our solons use their lawyerly skills to legalize and rationalize degrading and inhumane treatment of prisoners.

On September 27 at 4:45 p.m., our own solon, Rep. Darrell Issa, and his colleagues voted to lead this nation into this dread new darkness, subjecting the human persona absolutely to the oppressive power of the state. He and his party led us from the light of the dignity of the individual and his inalienable, God-given rights and led us into the netherworld of absolute right of the state to abuse and torture in whatever way the President decides.

Fearful and hard-hearted men will argue many convoluted and fine points of law, ethics and religion to justify torture for the greater good and protection of the “chosen people,” just as they did in Nazi Germany.

Aside from the Magna Carta of 1215, beyond the intent of our founding Fathers, our own Constitution and the principles of habeas corpus, we must each look within our own soul, listen to the voice and ask God if it is morally right for one human being to torment, torture, degrade and dehumanize another human being, created in the image of God. Or do we not believe that we are all sacred creatures in this universe and believe not that God and the universe intended sentient creatures to treat each other with fundamental respect?

This election is not about politics. It is about human dignity and the ascendance or regression of civilization. It is about the soul of America.

Mr. Bush has led us into the desert to wander in moral darkness. Mr. Issa has followed him. Who will lead us back into the light of moral human decency?

Joseph Crews

 

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