I don’t think the problem has been that Guantanamo Bay existed in of itself, rather how the detainees were treated, denied trials, etc. It was more how it was operated and how people were detained without charges ever being made against them etc.

Love your reflections on these businesses. I didn’t know the history of Hechts and I too was a big fan of the GWU Tower Records. Miss them both. I trust you’re correct — we’ll be seeing more closings — but let’s hope for better days. Gina

I believe they are talking about it being a war of aggression, one that we initiated for no legitimate reason. The concept of a ‘pre-emptive’ war, is disgusting and revolting on every level. It can be used so easily to justify just about any act of aggression.

Next, I would like to point out that while people with BDS are indeed a problem, and well totally nuts, there is also the opposite side of the coin. There are bushites that kiss the ground that he walks on and see him as the second coming. They see him as being perfect and the savior of the world, in essence - having no faults. I think these people are called the residents of Utah btw.

Finally, even if you somehow justify the concept of a ‘pre-emptive’ war, which you can’t, there is no way to fight the Terrorism on the battlefield. That ‘war’ will never be won with guns, missles, tanks,etc. Terrorism is an ideology. You don’t ‘defeat’ ideologies that way, they can only be ‘beat’ through change in how people perceive things, through education, and addressing other key issues such as social inequalities, social injustices and prejudices. To win a war on ‘terror’ as Bush initiated, you need to find and address the root causes of it, not kill people - even ones that participate in it.

Here is a great thread I participated in at a site that is now for all purposes, defunct that talks about BDS & the war on terror etc. It is a good read Bruce. Check it out.

http://www.earthcommcenter.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2092

I don’t believe that healthcare should be limited to ‘basic,’ why should some people be entitled to better care than others?

Who are the ones we decide have access to ‘basic’ healthcare?

Who decides this?

Doesn’t everyone deserve to have the same quality of life? What kind of things do we exclude from ‘basic’ healthcare?

The ability to get treatment for all of ones illnesses is not a privilege reserved for any one group, it is a right of everyone. We are all human beings after all, we all have the same goals at the end of the day, to be free from suffering. We can’t eliminate all forms of suffering, but we can at least provide everyone the chance to eliminate as much physical and mental suffering as possible, and when we can’t eliminate it, we can at least provide them a chance to mitigate it.