Comments | purplecthulhu: Dear FBI Director

purplecthulhu

Dear FBI Director

Aug 23, 2009 10:25

If you really feel that the release of a convicted man to die at home with some dignity and peace is "detrimental to the cause of justice", "makes a mockery of the rule of law", and "gives comfort to terrorists", then what are you going to do about the ex-IRA terrorists and terrorist funders of Noraid who have lived free from prosecution in the US ( Read more... )

Comments 15

fjm August 23 2009, 09:35:50 UTC

Nicely written.

I thought the chap on the radio this morning (the Scottish minister?) was splendid.

purplecthulhu August 23 2009, 11:31:52 UTC

I didn't hear that - what did he have to say?

fjm August 23 2009, 12:58:14 UTC

Kept repeating that this was a Scottish jurisdiction and that under scottish law compassion is a right. He stayed calm when interrupted and rolled over and kept repeating, "scottish jurisdiction" and "compassion".

ffutures August 23 2009, 10:01:21 UTC

Hadn't thought of that particular example, but the US reaction to the release of a man who was in any case convicted on very dubious evidence is just barbaric.

gaspodia August 23 2009, 10:32:25 UTC

I don't think it has occurred to them that their official reaction to an act of compassion weakens their moral position considerably. This rigid "no mercy" attitude has been the downfall of many a dictator over the years.

a_d_medievalist August 23 2009, 12:24:59 UTC

most USians don't know that, I'm pretty sure. Even NPR hasn't mentioned it *at all*

la_marquise_de_ August 23 2009, 10:16:17 UTC

Yes, this.

lonemagpie August 23 2009, 11:50:54 UTC

Those Americanists have always had a bit of a blind spot where Irish terrorists are concerned, especially since the Irish on the East Cosst of the US are such a big political lobby

purplecthulhu August 23 2009, 15:51:29 UTC

Indeed, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't call them on hypocrisy like this or the Bush doctrine, of pre-emptive retaliation against the backers of terrorism, which would have allowed us to bomb Boston*.

*Boston is actually a city I love and don't want to see bombed in case anybody mistakes my dislike of the Bush doctrine for wanting to see the US attacked.

a_d_medievalist August 23 2009, 12:25:45 UTC

Agreed, as well. I used to work in an Irish pub, and was sick to find that the owners (USian) collected for NorAid -- even though the manager was a Belfast Protestant, one of the waiters was from Cork, and the clientele included a fair number of Irish and Brits, who all got along and all thought the IRA were terrorists.

purplecthulhu August 23 2009, 15:52:16 UTC

Gods - I knew the whole Noraid thing ran deep but this... Did the manager know?