JUST SAYIN’-Just as I was getting discouraged, I have witnessed some refreshing, hopeful, encouraging, and uplifting behavior.
On the Senate Floor this week, Conservative Republican Senator John McCain was unequivocal in his denunciation of any methods of torture (having himself suffered grievously as a prisoner-of-war during the ill-conceived Viet Nam War, he speaks from experience). He therefore found himself in full agreement with Moderate Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein’s disclosure of the 6,000+ page report on the horrors that transpired at various encampments which our very own CIA oversaw. Democrats and Republicans alike are in full agreement (something which rarely happens) that any such policy is immoral and amoral and not reflective of the American Way. NO TORTURE—NO TIME—NO WAY!!
America has long been a signatory of the Geneva Conventions (created in 1864 and amended several times since) and, after the cruelties of World War II were unearthed, were amended in 1949. Its purpose is to forbid any country from employing any form of torture on civil and war-time prisoners. It “established the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment” of these captives. We are also a signatory to the 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment of Punishment [this includes enhanced interrogation (torture)used on prisoners sent from one country (which chooses not to be responsible for these offensive and indefensible actions themselves) to be tortured by another nation in its stead].
In light of recent revelations of the culpability of the CIA in torturing prisoners who were connected with 9-11 and its aftermath, there has been much discussion on both sides of the issue. What is torture? Is it ever justifiable? If so, when, where, how should it be used? on whom? for what reasons?
There will never be conclusive answers to these questions but most of us will subscribe to a broad range of views. Somehow I have come to one conclusion of my own—something with no factual basis, only an educated opinion. Remember the TV show, 24? It first aired only two months after 9-11 but was actually in development months before.
I believe what we watched on that show (sometimes being transfixed by it) appealed to our jaded sense of right and wrong. We were angry and spiteful and filled with contempt for the enemies who had the audacity to attack us on American soil. It offered us a target—those strange foreigners who practiced a strange religion and wore strange clothes and somehow acted too differently from what was “normal” and, therefore, unacceptable to the rest of us. The extreme and merciless tortures to which we were eyewitnesses on that weekly show seemed to mollify our fury but also feed into our outrage. Ironically, it also seemed to offer some form of comfort at a time when our minds were swirling with disbelief, utter frustration, and shock.
Maybe that is why we eagerly accepted the premise of “shock and awe,” and, thus, it was fine with us to let others do the dirty work we would have liked to do but for which we would never have had the stomach.
So once again, this week, these revelations could put all the blame and responsibility on others—the very people whom we had selected to represent us—politically and militarily and even criminally. Still, it is refreshing that as a nation we can nevertheless come together to condemn that same immorality, something that is so plainly obnoxious and intolerable to the nation in which we believe so strongly, to any nation whose “gentler” creed is to be emulated and remembered and employed.
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Another ongoing local, state, and national issue regards the production and distribution of GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods and food products. Taking effect on January 1, 2015, is a statewide law whose purpose is to prevent bans on the sale and growth of such products (an amendment which was inserted into a larger bill without the knowledge of most lawmakers—that’s politics, folks).
Locally, we were stunned by this unexpected ruling but many organizers and certainly many LA City Councilmembers (including Paul Koretz, Mitch O’Farrell, and Mike Bonin) were prompted to act quickly to finalize LAs regulation to ban the use of GMO seeds and plants within our City limits before the December 31, 2014, State-imposed deadline (there are many home gardens, small farmlands, community gardens, and so forth which could become contaminated by cross-pollination and inadvertent use of such products).
In the meantime, it has been learned (yet to be formally confirmed) that any metropolis in the State of California will still be able to pass such a ban despite the new state legislation. Thus, our efforts on passing such a ban will vigorously continue into the new year until victory is won.
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On the same day, last Tuesday, the Council considered another significant motion: raising the minimum wage (a concept which Mayor Garcetti supports), mandating paid sick leave, enforcing significantly painful penalties when there is wage theft by companies which blatantly steal tips, do not pay for hours worked and retaliate against any workers who file a grievance or even just mention to supervisors the disparity in salary earned and salary paid.
The motion to support this bill (sponsored by Gil Cedillo, Paul Koretz, and Mike Bonin) passed unanimously. Now we wait for a draft from the City Attorney’s office to finalize the details of the proposal.
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It was heartening to see the many protests across the country to bring attention to the far too numerous instances of criminal police behavior towards the powerless (particularly minority members) in our communities. President Obama added to the discussion that at times “peaceful protest is necessary!”
What recently transpired in Ferguson and New York and Cleveland (let alone the echo of the Trayvon Martin injustice) certainly ignited the metaphoric and literal fires for these demonstrations. These marches remind me of those some decades ago for Civil Rights reform and against the War in Viet Nam—all of which worked successfully to change the minds of the population in general and of our lawmakers in particular to recognize the urgency of creating and/or amending laws in a way that would match the progressive ideas advanced by these activists. I applaud that the “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts and the “Hands up—Don’t Shoot” mantra are serving their intended purpose (it is only and always a limited number of outside agitators that make these movements look bad). I am so glad that young and old alike are once again using their feet to change minds and make things happen!
I believe it is becoming increasingly clear that to obtain justice, special prosecutors need to be appointed when police officers are investigated for crimes they commit. Only then can we insure a process removed from conflict of interest (there often is bias because prosecutors depend too closely on police to provide the evidence to make their cases).
Grand Juries must be independent bodies which can make decisions based solely on the evidence presented and questions asked and answered. They must not be put in a position to act as rubber stamps for prosecutors who may be showing partiality for or against a defendant in the presentation of their cases. Fortunately, there seems to be gathering steam to support these concepts.
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Finally, we are hearing from those who are once again complaining vociferously about the Affordable Care Act. Right-wingers are still trying to convince the public that the ACA cannot and will not work despite the reality that more than 7 million people signed up last year for health insurance that they had not had before and could not have afforded in the past—and, for the most part, are extremely satisfied with what they have now.
This year, only since November 15th, more than a million new people have signed up. Though the program is not yet perfect, applicants are not faced with the interminable waiting times to fill out online applications. The vast majority of new insurees are getting more coverage for less (taking into consideration the natural and normal cost-of-living increases). The costs have gone down for emergency room services which, over the years, have been used for primary health issues while the level of preventive healthcare measures, prophylaxis, and curative treatments have gone up.
This kind of health care is here to stay. It will be improved; the kinks and glitches, removed. It will only get better because, when all is said and done, the people want it and appreciate it. Just try to take away the health coverage that people for the first time in their lives can count on!
So, in the end, the news is refreshing and holding out hope for a better future in the new year.
Just sayin’.
(Rosemary Jenkins is a Democratic activist and chair of the Northeast Valley Green Alliance. Jenkins has written A Quick-and=Easy Reference to Correct Grammar and Composition, Leticia in Her Wedding Dress and Other Poems, and Vignettes for Understanding Literary and Related Concepts. She also writes for CityWatch. This piece is part of an ongoing CityWatch series … Who Are The Real Angelinos … exploring the myriad peoples and cultures that define Los Angeles.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 12 Issue 100
Pub: Dec 12, 2014