There I was -- a bratty, independent kid, with a twisted sense
of humor who enjoyed doing illegal things: Entrance into anyplace at all
displaying the “No Dogs or Jews Allowed” signs was fun, even
though it was clearly understood that – if discovered – neither
dog nor Jew would ever be seen again, regardless of age. The best game of
all, though, was diving into the Berlin Olympic Pool, and, hiding behind
my Teutonic looks, smiling innocently at the guards. But those men were
just ordinary cops. When it came to the Gestapo, it was best to quickly
and quietly disappear. Oh yes. The Gestapo meant business.
When Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential liberty
to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety,”
he was right on!
In 1930’s Germany, “safety” meant “power.”
The popular sentiment was: “Power will keep us safe. After all, we
are the good people, the ones who want to clear the planet earth of all
who hinder progress, of all who stand in the way of our good intentions
– and the more power our Empire has, the safer we will be, the safer
we will make the world.” The national slogan, shouted joyfully in
the streets, was, after all, “Heute Deutschland, Morgen Die Welt”
(translation: Today Germany, tomorrow the World.)
The Germans, then, willingly gave up essential liberty
to purchase that safety of power, and the Nazis did an excellent job
of facilitating that. They invented the Gestapo, which was an acronym for
Geheime Staats Polizei. (Translation: Secret State Police.) And the Gestapo
was formidable, indeed.
Black, form-fitting uniform jackets, complete with epaulets;
black breeches tucked into jack-boots polished to such perfection that they
gleamed in all weather; Black hats with visors so glossy, they shone in
the dark. Oh, yes, these men were quite rightfully feared.
In 1930’s Germany, it was completely proper, fitting
and expected for persons to turn in to the authorities anyone even remotely
suspected of in some way subverting the government. Neither a suspicion
nor an informant was too small: Children over the age of eight, all of whom
were members of the Hitler Jugend if they were boys and Bund Deutscher Maedchen
if they were girls, were expected to turn in family members – including
parents – if they were overheard speaking disrespectfully or seditiously
of Hitler or any members of his administration. These kids were trained
and propagandized to simply put the “safety” of their great
country over the “liberty” of their families. Thus, if even
one’s own kids were gleeful informants, can you imagine what the neighbors
were?
When someone was turned in, the Gestapo showed up to do the
honors; No warrant was needed. Time of day or night was irrelevant. Folks
simply got hauled off, and, once taken away, never returned.
Gestapo interrogation methods were simple: Torture them
till they talk. Most of the time – even if these prisoners had absolutely
nothing of value to report – they eventually broke under the torture
and simply blurted out whatever they thought the inquisitors wanted to hear.
Once they had spoken, off they went to their deaths at the local extermination
camp, and if they chose not to speak, well, then the torture continued till
they died in the interrogation chamber.
Now, here we are in 2005, in the United States of America,
busily trading essential liberties for the safety of power…We,
too, understand that “safety” means “power.” In
today’s America, the administration has taught us carefully and clearly
that: “Power will keep us safe. After all, we are the good people,
the ones who want to clear the planet earth of all who hinder progress,
of all who stand in the way of our good intentions – and the more
power our Empire has, the safer we will be, the safer we will make the world.”
We do not have a Gestapo, of course. Intimidating black uniforms
with jack boots and shiny hat visors to match are as out-dated as 33 1/3
RPM music albums. And, after all, the Gestapo wasn’t very secret.
Our current fascist government is so much smoother, sophisticated,
slicker than the Nazis ever were. We just have organizations called
FBI (acronym for Federal Bureau of Investigation) and CIA (acronym for Central
Intelligence Agency.)
And, as reported by the Associated Press (June, 2005), we
also have an expanded, broader version of the Patriot Act, which gives the
government more liberties with our liberties than ever before. The purpose
of this expansion “Has, as its significant purpose, the collection
of intelligence.”
On June 29, 2005, CNN TV, along with the LA Times-Washington
Post News Service, announced that, In June, 2002, President Bush directed
the creation of a new National Security Service withinthe FBI. This little gem specializes in intelligence and other
“national security matters” under the grim direction of John
Negroponte, who – given his background of association with
South American terrorists – is pretty savvy when it comes to such
matters.
The new service combines counterterrorism, intelligence and
espionage units, and has been mandated to operate in secrecy as needed.
“It will give control of all human intelligence operations to the
CIA.”
This new department is enthusiastically endorsed by FBI Director
Robert Mueller, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez,
CIA Director Porter Goss, and Homeland Security Director
Michael Chertoff. What a great new way to prevent terrorism.
Now, we not only have secret agents who can conduct all business in secret,
but can also use torture
“Torture?” You ask, “Now where did you get
that from?”
Our current administration clearly understands the value of
torture. After all, when the populace found out about the torture in Abu
Ghraib and at Guantanamo – amongst other places – there was
no public outcry. Those inquisitors were -- and continue to -- simply keep
us all safe from terrorists. Good job. Not only that, but, now, torture
is an officially sanctioned governmental procedure.
The very purpose of the international Geneva Conventions,
formulated in 1949 by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human rights, was created to prevent – ever again – the
kind of insane torture and ruthless extermination perpetrated by Nazi Germany.
When interrogated, “No physical or mental torture, nor
any form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from
then information of any kind whatsoever.” The Geneva Conventions,
as a matter of fact, were updated in 1977 to provide greater protections
for victims of armed conflict. To wit: “The presence within the civilian
population of individuals who do not come within the definition of civilians
does not deprive the population of its civilian character.” (Article
50)
But, just this spring, Alberto Gonzales, our own Attorney
General, opened the door to torture when he stated, “The Geneva Conventions
are quaint: They are obsolete.”
We all know that torture techniques such as “water boarding,”
electroshock, the use of attack dogs on naked prisoners were/are commonplace
at Guantanamo. In an article by Robert Zeller (06/24/05 “The Triangle”)
the USA torture system is made even clearer: The USA, now, routinely sends
persons for interrogation to nations that openly condone torture. “Flogging,
anal rape, fingernail extraction, amputation, submersion in boiling water
and mock executions are standard procedure, often under the eye of American
agents” Agents – from the FBI and CIA – are sent as escorts
with these prisoners, in order to note all information resulting from these
techniques. According to Robert Zeller, “In so doing, the officials
who direct these agents are in direct violation of the federal War Crimes
Act, a 1996 statute that carries the death penalty.”
America, on June 28, 2005, officially refused to back a
United Nations protocol against torture, because of fears that this
could allow international monitors to visit terrorist suspects in Guantanamo
Bay. But, is the secrecy of our “new” FBI/CIA actually new?
On June 6, 2002, the Portland Oregonian reported that former University
of South Florida professor, Sami Al-Arian, had his phones bugged, microphones
planted in his office, and faxes as well as computer conversations recorded.
And, all this took place well before the official conversion of the FBI
to “Secrecy.” Matter of fact, it was done for nine years, and
no evidence was ever discovered making him in any way less than a good US
Citizen.
On July 1, 2002, FBI agents searched the San Diego home of
Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham. No reason was given. No reason
HAD to be given. No one is exempt from these new secret agents and what
they choose to do. Ordinary citizen or legislator – it doesn’t
matter. In they come, and away we go
And who gets hauled off in the night? France Sénécal,
who hosts a weekly interview program at .Radio Station KDVS 90.3
FM at University of California – Davis, http://www.kdvs.org
reports the horrifying family experience of "Sitara," a long-time
member of "Critical Resistance" who has often been interviewed
on France's program.
With no advance notice, with no warning whatsoever, Sitara's
aunt and uncle were taken away by government agents during the week of June
22, 2005. They have since been locked away in a detention prison in West
Virginia. Sitara states, “They came from Afghanistan about ten years
ago, and have since been involved in a long asylum attempt.”
“Aunt, uncle and 19 year-old cousin were home after
cousin’s graduation from High School on June 22. Suddenly, on graduation
day, the doorbell rang, and there stood the government officials and police,
saying, “We need to take you for questioning about an investigation
we are doing at Dulles airport (where my aunt worked, and my uncle also,
until his work permit expired and wasn’t renewed.). They told
my 19 year-old cousin that his folks would be back that evening, but, instead,
they simply disappeared.”
In their West Virginian detention camp, the story they are
told regarding the reason for their detention keeps changing, and no one
knows what’s going to happen to them. Will they be deported? And,
is the young cousin also in danger? No one knows.
So, how far are we removed from the Gestapo of Nazi Germany?
As Robert Zeller states, “It (fascism) comes through creating legal
non-persons of citizens and non-citizens alike. It comes through violating
human rights standards, sanitizing torture and condoning murder.”
Hermann Goering stated at the Nuremberg trials: “Voice
or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders;
that is easy, all you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and
denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country
to greater danger.”
On June 14, 2005, Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill compared US interrogators
at Guantanamo with Nazis and other historically infamous figures. By June
21, 2005, he had been pressured by the administration to the point that
he issued the following: “Some may believe that my remarks crossed
the line. To them, I extend my heartfelt apologies.” In this regard,
Durbin represents the entire nation: All of us see what sits in front of
us. All of us are aware of what is going on. All of us understand that our
endorsement of the Patriot Act, the new FBI/CIA does away with our essential
freedoms. But, none of us want to “cross the line.” Are we that
close to the mentality of the German citizenry of the Nazi era? Seems that
way, doesn’t it…. Heil Hitler
Doris Colmes
Doris Colmes escaped Nazi Germany in 1938 with her parents,
she was 11 at the time. Doris is the author of “The Iron Butterfly”
and an independent writer. She can be reached by email at dhcolmes@msn.com
or via her website at: http://www.doriscolmes.com
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