# Fuck you, Bush. Gitmo prisoners have rights! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 12, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692 "2008-06-12T14:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/1 "2008-06-12T14:42:02Z")
[Link.](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25117953/) You know it’s just going to end up here, so let’s just start it in the right place. The Supremes have ruled that the Gitmo prisoners are constitutionally protected. How long will it be before Bush issues a signing statement abolishing the Constitution? Will this be the final nail in the drive to finally rid us if Republican rule? When, exactly, did I turn into **Reeder**? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/2 "2008-06-12T14:55:46Z")
I don’t understand what you’re pitting here. It seems to me that this is just an example of the system working. Aside from a common misunderstanding of what exactly a signing statement is (It’s NOTHING! It’s a statement of interpretation! It has NO LEGAL STANDING WHATSOEVER YOU FUCKING FOOLS!), isn’t this the way things are supposed to work? Government does something, people don’t think it’s kosher, challenge it in the court, SCOUS rules on whether or not the government actually can do it or not. If the SC found the Gitmo detainees have rights, and those rights must now be respected, isn’t this a good thing for those who oppose Gitmo? Shouldn’t you be celebrating? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/3 "2008-06-12T14:57:22Z")
Pretty radical stuff. All men are created equal, have inalienable rights? Crazy talk! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/4 "2008-06-12T14:58:24Z")
It is a celebration, of sorts. But it never should have been an issue to begin with! It’s only because the current Administration is so fucking stupid that the Supreme Court had to make a ruling. I really need coffee. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/5 "2008-06-12T15:03:17Z")
[QUOTE=Weirddave] I don’t understand what you’re pitting here. It seems to me that this is just an example of the system working. [/QUOTE] A system that leaves people kidnapped and sold to the Americans for money and other sundry innocents to be imprisoned and tortured for many years does not fit any reasonable definition of ‘working’. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/6 "2008-06-12T15:15:08Z")
Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the court, said, “The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times.” Hm. Wonder if this line of argument has any application to the 4th Amendment? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/7 "2008-06-12T15:16:06Z")
[QUOTE=tagos] A system that leaves people kidnapped and sold to the Americans for money and other sundry innocents to be imprisoned and tortured for many years does not fit any reasonable definition of ‘working’. [/QUOTE] This. These people have been away from loved ones and home for YEARS and charged with nothing. It’s quite likely that for a lot of these people, their loved ones don’t even know they are still alive. I can’t think of a worse fate. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/8 "2008-06-12T15:19:21Z")
Does this mean bush’s policies of “rendition” (kidnapping people and sending them off to be brutally tortured like the Canadian [Maher Arer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar)) are also unconstitutional? Or is being slightly better then North Korea still our goal? Btw the fact that the executive branch thought this was good idea is being pitted. What the hell is wrong with people? Why isn’t this stuff in the news more? I think Bush should be sent to Syria to experience rendition for himself if there’s any justice. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/9 "2008-06-12T15:19:58Z")
[QUOTE=Weirddave] If the SC found the Gitmo detainees have rights, and those rights must now be respected, isn’t this a good thing for those who oppose Gitmo? Shouldn’t you be celebrating? [/QUOTE] And conversely shouldn’t the people who supported the removal of the rights from these people by saying that the Admin were on legally strong ground be hanging their collective heads in shame? Looks like the US is slowly but surely turning the corner and returning from the dark place it was in after 9/11 hit the country for six. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/10 "2008-06-12T15:23:30Z")
ER on second thought as much as I dislike bush the monster, our president. he shouldn’t be tortured either. Just have to witness it and hear the screams of agony so he’ll know what his actions did for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/11 "2008-06-12T15:25:32Z")
It was a 5-4 decision. That is scary. As Maxwell Smart would say, Facism “missed by \*this \* much”. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/12 "2008-06-12T15:44:21Z")
There’s life in the old girl, yet! ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/13 "2008-06-12T15:53:14Z")
[QUOTE=The Tao’s Revenge] Btw the fact that the executive branch thought this was good idea is being pitted. What the hell is wrong with people? Why isn’t this stuff in the news more? [/QUOTE] The executive branch was acting within the bounds of the statute passed by Congress. It was Congressional statute that the Court found unconstitutional. The Court also specifically pointed out that they were not addressing the legalityof the detentions of the persons being held at Gitmo or that a writ of habeas must issue: > [@Supreme Court](#): > > We do not address whether the President has authority to detain these petitioners nor do we hold that the writ must issue. These and other questions regarding the legality of the detention are to be resolved in the first instance by the District Court. ---
**Author:** ![JayRx1981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@JayRx1981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayRx1981)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/14 "2008-06-12T15:53:20Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] It was a 5-4 decision. That is scary. As Maxwell Smart would say, Facism “missed by \*this \* much”. [/QUOTE] All the more reason to pick a president who’ll nominate a moderate like the 5, if you ask me. Darn you O’Connor for retiring during Bush II’s admin! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/15 "2008-06-12T15:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] The executive branch was acting within the bounds of the statute passed by Congress. It was Congressional statute that the Court found unconstitutional. [/QUOTE] The statute was passed in the wake of 9/11 when the Congress’ attitude was “Yes, Mr. President, we’ll do whatever idiotic thing you tell us to”. They should be pitted for being spineless idiots but the Administration should be pitted for taking advantage of that spinelessness. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/16 "2008-06-12T15:59:13Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] The executive branch was acting within the bounds of the statute passed by Congress. It was Congressional statute that the Court found unconstitutional. The Court also specifically pointed out that they were not addressing the legalityof the detentions of the persons being held at Gitmo or that a writ of habeas must issue: [/QUOTE] And torture is legal in Syria. Is Syrian torture okay then? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/17 "2008-06-12T16:00:20Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] The statute was passed in the wake of 9/11 when the Congress’ attitude was “Yes, Mr. President, we’ll do whatever idiotic thing you tell us to”. They should be pitted for being spineless idiots but the Administration should be pitted for taking advantage of that spinelessness. [/QUOTE] It was passed in 2006, hence the name “Military Commissions Act of 2006.” ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/18 "2008-06-12T16:02:02Z")
[QUOTE=The Tao’s Revenge] And torture is legal in Syria. Is Syrian torture okay then? :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] OK to whom? Syrians? Natural law? You? Me? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/19 "2008-06-12T16:11:42Z")
[QUOTE=The Tao’s Revenge] ER on second thought as much as I dislike bush the monster, our president. he shouldn’t be tortured either. Just have to witness it and hear the screams of agony so he’ll know what his actions did for the rest of his life. [/QUOTE] He already knows what his actions have done. He doesn’t _care_. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692/20 "2008-06-12T16:22:17Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Pretty radical stuff. All men are created equal, have inalienable rights? Crazy talk! [/QUOTE] That’s just for us Americans, silly! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-bush-gitmo-prisoners-have-rights/452692.md?page=2)