This Great Nation, or, Upon Laws

Friends,

It will surely come as no surprise that this space relies upon the daily efforts of a crackerjack legal team, whose dedication to the Swill is matched only by its dedication to Justice, and whose dedication to Justice is matched only by its dedication to delivering the nightly Pro Bono, if you know what we mean.

Today, the Legal Dept. received the following letter from the President of the American Bar Association. At the request of our head counsel, we reprint the epistola in toto. We only wish to point out that the principle of habeas corpus, so recently discarded by our esteemed legislators, pre-dates John Adams by ABOUT FIVE FUCKING CENTURIES, which is a drop in the temporal bucket compared to the eternity of brimstoned ass-rape that Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is going to endure if there is indeed a God, the existence of which the Swill to Power denies but whom Senator Graham paradoxically embraces.

Who thought that when the Republicans took power and promised to return us to an age of greater morality and integrity, they were talking about those halcyon days BEFORE THE FUCKING MAGNA CHARTA?

Well, we did, but nobody was listening. Enjoy.

Michael S. Greco
321 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60610-4714
(312) 988-5109
FAX: (312) 988-5100

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
President

November 15, 2005

The U.S. Senate last week adopted with no hearings and with little debate Senator Lindsey Graham's proposal to eliminate habeas corpus rights for Guantanamo detainees, denying them access to federal courts. The American Bar Association urges the senators to reconsider and defeat that enormous change to our fundamental legal system.

Throughout our nation's history, starting with the defense by lawyer, later president, John Adams of Massachusetts, of the British soldiers who fired on patriots in the Boston Massacre, it has been our commitment to basic principles of justice, even for the most unpopular among us, that has allowed us to maintain the high moral ground in the world, the most strategically important territory for us to occupy as we struggle with the enemies of freedom.

Our influence in the world is directly affected by our actions with respect to those we detain. The prisoners in Guantanamo have been held there, largely incommunicado, for four years. That fact alone offends our heritage of due process and fairness. The writ of habeas corpus was developed precisely to prevent the prolonged detention of individuals without charge, by allowing those held to petition the federal courts. To eliminate the right of habeas corpus would be shocking to our nation.

As Senator Graham himself has stated repeatedly, in the battle against terrorism we cannot allow ourselves to become like the enemy. Adoption of his amendment would undermine the very principles that distinguish us from our enemies.

Michael S. Greco
ABA President