Will Pitt: Burning the Law in a Riot of Treason

[EFerrari]

(Go, Will)



Burning the Law in a Riot of Treason
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Columnist

Monday 27 August 2007

As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there's a twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.

- Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

The departure of Alberto Gonzales from the Attorney General's Office brings America to a place of definitions, and hanging in the balance is the very idea of the nation itself. The basic concepts and fundamental principles of our republic now stand as the only legitimate considerations going forward, for they have been tested almost to annihilation already, and will not endure much longer if we continue on this path.

It is the mythology within the Declaration of Independence we speak of, the fiction that tells us we are endowed with rights, and that those rights are unalienable. This falsehood has been vividly exposed in the last several years, and it has been a harsh lesson indeed. All the rights we hold dear and believe to be our greatest strength are, in fact, only words on old paper with neither force nor power. The next line - "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" - is the muscle behind the myth, the core that has endured a withering assault.

Matters are so much worse than our national political dialogue lets on. The resignation of Gonzales has unleashed a torrent of hard words and harsh criticisms aimed at the deplorable nature of his tenure, but the truth of it continues to elude mention. They call Gonzales an incompetent, a crony, a loyalist, a disgrace, leaving off the one word necessary to fully explain who he is, and what he was engaged in before he stepped down.

Alberto Gonzales is a traitor. That is the only word to explain it.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/082707R.shtml

[jaysunb]

1. k&r

:thumbsup:

[Mythsaje]

2. I agree.

Gonzo is certainly a traitor.

[EFerrari]

3. He sure is a traitor. Will nails it.

:kick:

[hlthe2b]

4. he he...I knew Will would have to write on Gonzo's departure...

I think this is his first Truthout piece in a month or more.... Kudos, William...

[understandinglife]

5. "Alberto Gonzales is a traitor. That is the only word to explain it."

"Congress - it's called INHERENT CONTEMPT ... and it's long overdue for Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzo and others to be so charged.

DO THE JOB WE ELECTED YOU TO DO AND THAT WE PAY YOU TO DO."

[EFerrari]

6. Exactly. n/t

[EFerrari]

7. Great read.

:kick:

[EFerrari]

8. kick

[stirlingsliver]

9. Come Back Will. Please.

I have been away for a few days, so if Will Pitt has already come back, then I'm sorry for posting this.

But if Will has not come back, then PLEASE come back to DU soon, Will.

Seeing your lovely words is wonderful.

But many of us enjoy dialoguing with you -- and seeing others dialogue with you.

We love you, Wiil.

Please -- PLEASE -- come back.

[G_Leo_Criley]

10. Right On Will Pitt!

:kick:

[EFerrari]

11. I don't yet understand -- be patient, I'm slow --

how can Junior release a statement framing this felon as a victim and how this country doesn't go nuts.

What will it take? :shrug:

[Raven]

12. People do not have a clue as to how far this has gone. Most of

them are trying to keep one step ahead of the debt collector. No time to think about these things. I suspect that when the credit card companies start to attack, people will wake up. Too sad, but I think most people don't think about their rights in a free society, they just assume they are there...until they are gone. We are in a very, very dangerous time.

[Crewleader]

39. I agree Raven!

And well said William! Hugs to both of you! :hug:

[mwb970]

35. Bush didn't just say Gonzo was a "victim".

The Idiot said that the Weasel is a "talented and honorable man", which is so completely false it seems to have paralyzed people into non-responsiveness.

Talented? We have rarely seen such rank incompetence in an Attorney General. The Weasel's only "talent" was writing dense opinions saying that whatever the Idiot wants to do is suddenly legal, no matter how vile.

Honorable? The Weasel repeatedly lied to Congress. He ruined our DOJ. He feigned "Republican amnesia" just like they all do. He has no honor whatsoever.

Even after all these years it still makes me seethe to watch the Idiot lie and lie and lie on my TV screen. I'm so sick of them all I could scream.

[EFerrari]

45. I can't look at them. Have only read Junior's transcripts for years

now unless Amy or someone shows a clip.

[JDPriestly]

47. Talented at hiding the president's past and present misdeeds

Honorable as in honorable among thieves.

[warrior1]

13. Well said.

Thanks for the post.

[mmonk]

14. A big recommend

It should be sent to every member of Congress.

[porphyrian]

15. He is a traitor, and he's not close to alone. - n/t

[SalviaBlue]

16. K&R

[bigtree]

17. nice

that's what's missed

[Bake]

18. God, I miss Will Pitt! COME HOME!!!!!

Geez Will, c'mon! Come out of lurkdom, come on back home! You're one of the reasons I came here in the first place!

Bake

[H2O Man]

19. Nominated.

Very good essay. I'm glad to see this. Thank you for posting it (and thank you, Mr. Pitt, for writing it!).

[puebloknot]

20. Protocol Question: I just posted this exact same thing...

...in General Discussion: Politics.

Thanks for posting, and should I delete my post? Or is it kosher to have it running in two different sections.

[Beetwasher]

22. It's Fine

n/t

[puebloknot]

23. Thanks! Repetition is good! nt

[Ellipsis]

21. K&R

[Catshrink]

24. K&R

and a plea for Will to return to DU.

[byronius]

25. Excellent. Thanks.

[Dystopian]

26. Mr. Pitt.....He's just too good....K&R

Gotta love him.....the gift of the pen is rare.
Thanks for posting~
peace~

[EFerrari]

27. kick

[Patsy Stone]

28. Brilliant and true.

Thanks for posting sfexpat, and thanks, Will.

K&R

[EFerrari]

31. So much my pleasure.

:)

[Ellipsis]

29. .

[EFerrari]

30. . .

:)

[Laurab]

32. K&R - thanks sfexpat & Will, too! n/t

[lazyriver]

33. Words such as these from Mr. Pitt should be echoing

from every member of Congress right now, especially the Dem leaders. Excellent piece from Will Pitt and thanks for posting it.

[mwb970]

34. Gonzales betrayed his country.

The Weasel allowed his mindless loyalty to the Idiot and to the Republican party to completely override any concern for his country. He worked tirelessly to undermine America's system of government. This is what a traitor does.

[Summer93]

36. K&R

I agree.

[shaniqua6392]

37. Without the rule of law, there is no America.

Best line of the editorial. This is what Gonzales and the rest of the Bush Administration are trying to do.....destroy America. Another great piece of writing from Mr. Pitt. Thanks Will for writing it and thanks to sfexpat2000 for posting. We sure do miss Will here at DU :cry:

[ejbr]

38. Exactly! Now we need to have Nancy Pelosi step down for her tacit approval of these crimes n/t

[Spinzonner]

40. I'm very uncomfortable with how that word has been weakened

and cheapened through overuse. Mainly be the so-called Conservatives, Neocons, and Crypto-Facists but now also by the other side - ours.

It shouldn't be used against those who merely disagree with you or are seriously misled or deficient in their judgment, even in the extreme. Even if their values are out of whack.

It should - and does, I believe - apply properly to those who are hostile in both principle and personally to the nation and it's values.

Albert Gonzales was wrong in so many ways that I can't and won't enumerate them - for his loyalty, his role, his job, and so on. But if we call that treason what are we going to call some of the extreme acts that were called treason in the past ?

[WinkyDink]

72. The obliteration of Habeas Corpus and the "legal opinion" that we need not abide by the Geneva

Conventions = high crimes against the Constitution and our legal obligations, aka laws.

[SharonRB]

41. Please come home, Will

We miss you around here.

[jackster]

42. Right On Will - BUT COME HOME!

We are not the same without you - we miss you!

[Jackpine Radical]

43. Will Pitt...Will Pitt...I think I've heard that name before.

Why does it sound so hauntingly familiar?

[Raster]

59. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....

Wake up America!:kick:

[EFerrari]

44. Kick

[Uncle Joe]

46. Outstanding column by William Pitt!

I couldn't agree more!

Thanks for the thread sfexpat2000.

[tomfodw]

48. True but less than fully relevant

By focusing on Gonzalez, we are giving the true traitors - Bush and Cheney - a break. They are the real rot, the true cancer at the heart of the evil in Washington. Until we stop letting them shield themselves with all the sycophants and enablers and bullet-takers who are conveniently dropping by the wayside, nothing will change.

The challenge for the Democrats in the Senate is to take this opportunity to - finally - say "No". No way, no how. No new Attorney-General (let the interim one stick it out). No new judicial appointments. No new generals, no new ambassadors. Because it is an iron law of the Bush Administration that anyone Bush appoints to any position is almost guaranteed to be worse than the person being replaced. The Senate is Constitutionally empowered - and obligated - to advise as well as consent on presidential appointments. Time for the Democrats to grow some balls and shove that part of the Constitution down Bush's gagging throat. Not just investigations that go nowhere. But a solid refusal even to consider any major Bush appointments until he sits down and listens to them and then does what they say.

Bush is extremely unpopular with the American public. So is the Senate, so in a war with the White House they might not prevail. But they're definitely not going to prevail if they don't take Bush on. Part of the reason Congress is so unpopular is precisely becausethey won't stand up to Bush.

Bush and Cheney have run this country into the frickin' ground. Celebrating Gonzalez's departure is totally irrelevant unless we use this opportunity to go after the real bastards who are responsible for the failure and corruption. If you have a Democratic Senator who is less than 100% solid on this issue, it's time to let them know that you won't settle for anything less than "No".

[Tigress DEM]

58. Patrick Fitzgerald for AG or Special Prosecutor! MAKE IT A MANDATE!

I agree that this administration usually puts a worse freak show in every time they let one step down. We need someone we can trust at the helm of the Judicial branch and traitors like *ush aren't impartial enough to appoint that person.

I don't know if you read the whole article, but Will did NOT give *ush and *ick a free ride. Maybe you are speaking in general.

Will Pitt said the whole administration has been traitorous and depicted why so as he lists multiple times they have put themselves above the rule of law.

[NewHampster]

49. Will's words are always an education

Thanks sfexpat2000 for pointing this out. I haven't been reading Truthout lately and will get back in the habit now that I see Will writing the truth.

Lucky for us, Will never seems to hold back.

[ooglymoogly]

50. Yes a traitor he is....and what does that tell us about the rest

of this cabal holding the strings of power in these very dangerous times while an entire country slumbers in mud like a fat hog after slopping by corporate media.

[Madspirit]

51. k&r...n/t

[mntleo2]

52. Is Anyone Sending These Comments To Will?

...Will, remember me, Cat In Seattle?

Remember at Andy's funeral that I told you I did not know why, but I was "tombstoned" (I still don't know why that happened, but anyways ...)? As we all spent some time together after the memorial at the Mayflower, I realized how much I had missed everyone more than I had realized. I did not think I would ever "see" some of the wonderful DUers I had met face to face that night and it made me even sadder after missing Andy as well. I went off by myself to smoke, but really it was to have a private cry about Andy ~ and now that I had met face to face all those people I already loved and was not going to be able to hang out with them online, I was also going to cry about that too. Remember how you came out there and told me to talk to Skinner and let him know I wanted to come back? After I got home and wrote a bittersweet diary on Kos about the funeral, I followed your advice, took a deep breath and wrote to Skinner. Skinner's one liner I still have archived because it cured an ache in my heart! He merely said: "Welcome Back!"

Now it is my turn to tell you the same thing. I am not sure what happened that made you want to go, but there are many on this forum who really love you and whose lives you have deeply impacted. Don't listen to the flame fools who don't! I am not always good at doing that myself, so I understand the need to engage with them because as a religious person I was taught to "love my enemies" and I want and hope for peace. One time a dear friend told me something I wish I had known earlier in my life, he said: "Don't waste your time on people who do not care about you, give your love to those who deserve it!" There are those of us who deserve your presence, Will. Give of yourself to those of us who treasure you.

Your pen is the Sword of Truth, Will, you are talented and have more in your little finger than most of us have in our whole lives. You were born to do this, and as your ancestor that signed the Constitution would tell you, standing up for your beliefs is not always easy ~ many of those people suffered a horrible fate for merely signing that piece of paper, as you know. But no matter what fate awaits any of us for standing up, there is one thing that will stay when we are gone which your ancestor left with us all: Love. Agape. Philos. I think DU is a place that can support you while you wield your Weapon of Truth ...albeit a few flame throwers who do not have a clue that often draw in those of us who get hurt by their words. I have found to engage them is not good and that silence is the best treatment ~ but I had to learn the hard way silence can be fruitful ~ they don't call ME "Chatty Cathy" for nuttin'!

Late that night after the funeral, we all parted, and I will always remember you going off in the darkness, whistling. I rode the bus home thinking about all I had seen and heard that night. I always think of that last time I saw you when I read your powerful words which touch my soul as the words you wrote did again today. I wish I could email this to your directly, but I don't have it. Just trust me, I am here to tell you, you are loved. Come back!

Love,
Cat In Seattle

[Seabiscuit]

53. Can't we all just respect Will's wishes and leave him alone?

He made it clear he wanted Skinner to "tombstone" him. He said he doesn't want to return. Unlike Al Gore, he left no possibility open that he might return.

That includes not reposting his Truthout articles on DU. If you want to read them just go to TO. If you want to talk to him just send him a message through TO.

[EFerrari]

57. I got permission to post this,fyi.

:)

Edit: Sorry for the confusion. I should have disclosed that in the OP. ef

[Seabiscuit]

62. Permission from Will Pitt, or from Skinner?

If from Skinner, so what? Why not leave Mr. Pitt alone and respect *his* wishes?

If you got permission from Mr. Pitt, well, what does that tell you?

[EFerrari]

63. From Will. I'm not understanding your objection, I think.n/t

[Name removed]

64. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kajsa]

54. Will nailed it.

Beautifully written and expressed.

Thanks so much for sharing this.
;-)

[Maestro]

55. So true.

Every bit of what he said. :kick:

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

56. The Land of the Free?

Definitely the Home of The Brave.

[EFerrari]

60. Kick

[marions ghost]

61. Absolutely ...Will put it well

"When George W. Bush asserted a claim of Executive Privilege that made him and his administration immune to all laws and oversight, that was an act of treason because it shattered the rule of law."

"It is the mythology within the Declaration of Independence we speak of, the fiction that tells us we are endowed with rights, and that those rights are unalienable. This falsehood has been vividly exposed in the last several years, and it has been a harsh lesson indeed."

--------------------

We have been trusting the govt to guard our rights for quite awhile. But now that trust is broken. Those noble 'Declaration of Independence' myths are exposed. I wonder how teachers can even teach US history without experiencing a serious disconnect these days. They are teaching ideals that have no connection to reality.

No words are too strong to describe what has been done to the people of the United States under this administration.

How long will we put up with "executive privilege" used to hide criminal acts?

[CJCRANE]

65. Great article.

:thumbsup:

[DemReadingDU]

66. afternoon kick

[mntleo2]

67. Another Kick n/t

[Crewleader]

68. kick up

:dem:

[deaniac21]

69. I predict Gonzales will be indicted within 24 business hours!

[texpatriot2004]

70. Interesting nm

[WinkyDink]

71. No offense, but hasn't this been obvious? The entire Administration comprises traitors.