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Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois
62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com
“WE LIVE BY EXAMPLE”
The struggle for human rights is constant.
Humanity’s gains — made through laws, hard struggle,
and social transformation — can be overturned in a flash
through Patriot Acts, soaring budget deficits, slashed community
programs, immunity decisions made long ago, and war. Now, a
supposedly liberal Democratic U.S. senator has joined in to limit
justice for those abused and victimized in that vicious quest for
power and profits perpetuated by governments and corporations. Stunningly, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein,
D-Calif., introduced the Alien Tort Claims Reform Act (S. 1874) in
the Senate recently. This piece of legislation alters the original
Alien Tort Claims Act of 1789 in ways that would diminish the
statute’s authority to be used fruitfully as a powerful piece
of human-rights law. Signed into law by George Washington, the
ATCA simply states: “The district courts shall have original
jurisdiction of any civil action by an alien for a tort only,
committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the
United States.” The original intent was to protect foreign
diplomats from piracy and sea-based attacks, thus preserving the
international standing of the new United States. However, the law was seldom used until 1980,
when it became the basis for a civil suit against a Paraguayan
police inspector general accused of torturing and murdering a
17-year-old boy. That case, Filartiga
v. Pena-Irala, is a benchmark,
especially for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals’ finding
that, because abuses of certain fundamental human rights make the
abuser “hostis humani generis, an enemy of all mankind,”
their decision in favor of the ATCA “is a small but important
step in the fulfillment of the ageless dream to free all people from
brutal violence.” Just last year, the U.S. Supreme Court
articulated the ATCA as clear and concise and did not find it
unconstitutional despite the best efforts of federal lawyers crying
out that it impedes successful prosecution of the “war on
terror” and foreign policy. Opposition to the ATCA’s use by the
victims of abuse has been less about foreign policy and more about
protecting the hides and bank accounts of the rich and powerful who
act wantonly in their global dealings. In fact, look at Bowoto et al. v. Chevron Texaco Corporation et al as a perfect example. Nigerian plaintiffs allege
that Chevron Texaco directly and indirectly involved itself in the
destruction of two Nigerian villages and shooting of peaceful
protesters at an offshore Chevron platform. These days, as
Feinstein promotes her “reform” legislation, it ought
to be pointed out that one of her largest
corporate contributors is Chevron Texaco. Under Feinstein’s
legislation, this case would likely be dismissed. The linkage of S.
1874, civil liability, and Chevron seems apparent. S. 1874 smells like rotten corporate payback
on behalf of the butchers and criminals of the world. This
watering-down of the ATCA gives a blank check to the Bush
administration, corporate abusers and human-rights violators. Not
even the assassin of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero would be
found liable for damages with the reform legislation. Contact Sens. Feinstein, Dick Durbin, and
Barack Obama, tell them no, and urge withdrawal of S. 1874. We live
by example. Eliminating the ATCA further diminishes our moral
standing in the community of peoples — as if Abu Ghraib
wasn’t enough. Michael P. Ziri Springfield THIS JOKE ISN’T FUNNY
Back in the day, I used to do construction.
Invariably there would be one guy on the crew who thought himself a
comedian. Every time somebody picked up a board that was too short
for the task, he would say, “Well, just cut off what you need
from one end and put it on the other, then it’ll be long
enough,” and he’d laugh and laugh. President George W. Bush and much of his
administration must have done construction, too. Whenever
there’s a budget shortfall — usually caused by a poorly
conceived piece of legislation; hurricane relief that was too
little, too late; or the odd invasion — their solution is to
whittle benefits from the little end of the stick and paste it onto
the wealthy end. Then they laugh and laugh. The gag is no funnier when they say it than
it was when the guy on my crew did. But, inexorably, that’s
exactly what’s taking place. Medicare prescription benefit
costing too much? Don’t raise the income threshold; make that
worker stay on the job a couple more years. Where to get the $200
billion for Katrina relief? Delete even more benefits from
veterans, children, and Medicare/Medicaid recipients. I’ll sure be glad when George W. Bush
and his cronies stop “helping” America grow. Tim Slack Celestine, Ind. TEACH THEIR RELIGION AT HOME
On a recent episode of NBC’s The West Wing,
presidential candidate Matt Santos, played by Jimmy Smits, was
asked his opinion about intelligent design. After a moment of
thought, he said, “I believe in God, and I believe he is
intelligent.”
The concept of intelligent design and its
teaching in public-school science classes is a hot topic in the
media and around the water cooler. Many Christians are insistent
that it be taught alongside evolution as a plausible theory that
explains the beginnings of life. I’m not really sure why the
Christian groups are so adamant. If public school and government
officials want to declare that intelligent design is simply a
matter of faith, then forget about teaching it in science classes.
Instead, how about teaching it in current-events classes? Or how
about in American history, emphasizing the importance of the
national debate as it shapes our nation? Or here’s a novel
idea: Christian parents could teach their children at home and at
church about the God of the heavens’ creating all things ex nihilo, from
nothing. Christians need to quit expecting the
government to spread their religion. It is their job, or
commission, if you will, to share the good news of salvation with a
lost and dying world. It’s time for the church to be the
church. Chris Babb Rochester ABOVE BOARD ON STEM CELLS
Our governor has issued an executive order to
allocate $10 million of state funds to create the Illinois
Regenerative Medicine Institute to disperse tax dollars to
researchers for the purpose of adult and embryonic stem cell
research. He was not “above board” in the
language used in his executive order, using the phrases
“pluripotent stems cell” and “totipotent stem
cells” and calling the process of human cloing “somatic
cell nuclear transfer” — and not truthful in stating
that “no funding will be authorized for research involving
human cloning.” His terminology embraced the vital components
in embryonic stem cell research, creating and then killing a human
being in the name of science! Adult stem cell research using cells found in
blood, bone marrow, skin, brain, liver, pancreas, fat, hair
follicles, placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic fluids has been
proven to be successful. These cells are easily retrieved and the
process does not harm the patient. Such stem cells are already
curing 58 diseases! Private funding for embryonic stem cell
research as almost grounded to a halt as honest scientist admit the
inadequacy of the process. The taxpayer is entitled to an honest
portrayal of where their tax dollars will be spent! Elizabeth Pearson Elmhurst I’M NOT QUALIFIED — AND PROUD
Perhaps the best compliment I received when
running for a county office came from a well-known local judge,
when he asked me, “Don’t you know that an honest man
can’t get elected in Sangamon County?”
Donald E. Palmer Springfield EYESORE OF THE WEEK
The old Hardee’s office building,
located about a block north of South Grand Avenue just off Sixth
Street, is both ugly and dangerous. Several big panels of aluminum
siding are missing or blowing loose in the wind. Someday one of these panels will come loose
in a strong wind and could kill someone, hit a car, or cause an
accident. Along with being an eyesore, this situation poses a
safety hazard. It’s time to correct this situation
before someone gets hurt. Gerald L. Caslin Springfield CORRECTION
Farah Salim, who is selling note cards to
help earthquake-ravaged Pakistan, can be reached at
fairydust100@hotmail.com. The wrong address was published last week
[R.L. Nave, “Designing woman,” Oct. 27]. We regret the
error.
This article appears in Nov 3-9, 2005.
