Rising rapidly to the top of America’s most shameful moments is this week’s congressional sanction of the unconstitutional, unethical, immoral and repugnant treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner’s public addition to the indignity.

Add this to the list of repugnant problems, right next to slavery, torture, racism, segregation and bigotry.

Even though most Americans have either forgotten or just don’t care any more, there are 112 prisoners held in that U.S. prison who have never been charged with a crime, allowed to defend themselves, be found innocent, guilty or anything else.

Although far from Aurora, the egregious embarrassment of Guantanamo Bay hit home in Colorado this week when Gardner stamped his feet in protest of the Pentagon considering moving some of the prisoners to Cañon City.

“I will not sit idly by while the president uses political promises to imperil the people of Colorado by moving enemy combatants from Cuba, Guantanamo Bay, to my state of Colorado,” Gardner told a Capitol Hill news conference.

Too late for that. Colorado prisons are already home for some of the worst of the worst, including Zacarias Moussaoui, who was part of the Sept. 11 attacks, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the “Underwear Bomber,” and Richard Reid, the infamous “Shoe Bomber.”

Gardner’s shrill cry against bringing Guantanamo prisoners to Colorado was in addition to his complaint that Colorado’s federal justice system couldn’t handle such a feat.

We have infinitely more faith in both the prisons in Colorado and the state’s ability to bring forth desperately needed justice to this long-overdue nightmare. The Denver federal court tried and resolved the case of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and many other complex and high-profile cases. Rather than make Colorado appear backward and cowardly about the issue, Gardner and other members of Congress whose states are potential sites for Guantanamo prisoners should be pushing for as much federal assistance as possible to bring one of the country’s most-astonishing atrocities to a close.

It’s been more than 12 years since the Bush administration unwisely created the Guantanamo Bay “detention camp.” And the eternal prisoners still there show how the most open, free and fair government in the world continues to make a mockery of itself.

President Barack Obama campaigned on the promise to close the prison and ensure each prisoner would be assured due process. The world looks to America to end such human rights abuses in backward nations all over the planet, not lead the way in skirting the rule of law.

While the men being held at Guantanamo Bay may be vile criminals who deserve harsh justice, we, as a country, have treated them unfairly and in patently un-American ways. The U.S. Supreme Court, the majority of Congress and Obama all agree with that, but the abuse still persists.

Congress is now keeping the country from solving an exasperating problem that many of these federal lawmakers either helped create or were complicit in helping create. Many in Congress have stood by for nearly 14 years while options dwindled.

Few things have hurt America’s image and ability to navigate the political messes that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have wrought as has Guantanamo Bay prison. Nothing but the closure of this modern-day gulag will solve the problem, no matter how difficult or distasteful the U.S. Congress finds the issue.

And Gardner’s behavior only made the problem more difficult and brought this national embarrassment right home to Colorado. That’s not who we are. We made terrible mistakes with the Guantanamo Bay prison. We must own up to them, and more importantly, stop making them. Colorado is a state filled with competent, brave and ingenious patriots who throughout history have sought and fought to do the right thing.

What Congress and Gardner did this week is anything but right, and so the shame and outrage continues.

37 replies on “EDITORIAL: Gardner, Congress heighten the shame of Guantanamo Bay”

  1. What a poorly written, biased, untrue, sensational piece of garbage. ‘torture, repugnant’ slavery’ Couldn’t the Sentinel find any other descriptive words to fit their dialogue? Just another one-sided, partisan, liberal, ACLU-think, un-American column full of mistruths and judgements.

        1. And then some. Sounds as though gooey’s mental state is in disarray. It has to be stressful for the goo man living with communists, illegals, liberals and what not. Maybe medication would help.

          Thanks for the reply and have a good one Retiree.

  2. There you go again, as Ronald Reagan would say. Just who are you writing this drivel for? If you do it to get a rise from us older folks, you can quit now. I don’t buy your paper, but do read certain items. Then I research other sources to see just how much spin you put on those.

    1. Do tell! Ronny said lots of things as most presidents do. The question is, if you don’t buy the Sentinel and find it’s contents mostly “drivel”, why do you bother to read “certain items”?

      Alas. The dastardly Aurora Sentinel is trying to “get a rise from older folks”. Now that’s news without the spin.

      1. Did you not understand what I wrote? I thought I explained it very clearly. Have you not realized it is the only paper in Aurora? And I said I checked to see what spin they put on stuff? If that is too difficult, I suggest you get one of the common core educated kids to explain it to you? In other words, after the democratic debate and what happened in France, with our so-called leader going to talk about really important stuff like global warming, today is not the day for you to jump my case. OKAY. This old geezer takes exception to bringing more folks into this country that do not speak our language, or our culture, and will not assimilate to be US citizens.
        We could get lucky, and have them take exception to Dave, and his editorials. But that would be asking too much.

        1. Clearly, Frank appears agitated anyone would “jump his case”.

          Frank’s read O’Really’s books. Best not to disturb his bubble.

          1. Have you read any books lately? You would find that Reagan led a life much like I and many others did, through those years. Struggled to get ahead, and adapted. Now if you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you would not relate to that, would you?
            Also you would find a parallel with Trump, though he was born in a wealthy family. Father gave him $1.0 million to start with (but he had same pathological problem of discipline, and as a young fellow was sent to military academy to learn discipline. He prospered there, academically and athletically, and increased that start to over $10, 12, or more billion. Depends on who is doing the listing.
            Now what have you accomplished, since most of us in the 1940s and 1950s, had the same “pathologically’ rebellion against our parent/s. At 14 I had some rather wild angers, as most young folks did, and do now. Show it with the weird clothing, tattoos, and screaming anger at folks. I find Dr. Carson, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump as very familiar to my life, though I did not go into wealth building. I chose to serve my country, for its meager pensions at retirement. And folks like you want to take that away from us.

          2. Got it, I think! Pathologically speaking, Mr Carson and Trump are about as weird as it gets. Weird anger is their specialty along with Frank’s.

            Folks like me! Hmmm! Makes one want to get a tattoo.

      2. And you might gain more insight if you bought Bill O’Reilly’s book: Killing of Reagan. You will find that Ronald Reagan in his youth, and through his life, has a parallel in Donald Trump, only Trump was born into a wealthy family. Father gave him $1.0 million to start, and he built that into over $10, 12, or more billion. Depends on who is listing it. However, he has been like that his entire life, unlike so many of us (not me) but others who are ‘holier than thou”, and never made a misstatement. I find that politicians, especially those like Biden who have been in politics entire life, have had opinions and statements all over the map. And I would wager, most readers have had different opinions through out their lives. Know my thoughts in teens, entirely different as an adult, and military changed that outlook completely,. Gained whole different attitude on education, ambition, economics, taxation, and management (especially when I started managing programs, with heavier responsibility. Any takers, who want to disagree with me?

        1. Right, and I might save on my toilet paper bill using Billo’s books to wipe my rear end after a bowel movement. Given the many legitimate historians out there anyone wasting time with O’Reilly’s crap deserve it.

  4. And here is the basis for your entire error: “While the men being held at Guantanamo Bay may be vile criminals who deserve harsh justice…”

    The men held at Gitmo are not vile criminals, they are vile wartime enemy combatants who are being held in accordance with accepted rules of war. They were captured on the battlefield, and fall under the control of the Defense Department, not the Justice Department.

    It is not merely the existence of the Gitmo prison that has soiled America’s image, it is the onanistic narrative of you on the Left using Gitmo as a stage prop to commisserate with our enemies in your disgust of America as founded.

    Could Colorado handle the imprisonment of our enemies? Yes. Should we? No.

    1. High toned syntax I must admit. The author certainly serves up a mouthful. “Onanistic narratives”! You don’t say!

      1. Are you planning a trip to Washington any time in near future. Just read on television that ISIS plans attack there. Naturally they did not say when, where, or how. But don’t let that stop you. Since you are labeling everyone on net as weak minded, or mental cases, maybe you can help those poor fellows. Anyone in black mask, with a sharp knife could use some help.

        1. “Black masks, sharp knives and weak minds”. The perfect description of the repub candidates for president of the US.

          1. Like Nancy Pelosi who see AK-47s in crowd when she sees tea party folks. But we know she is delusional, don’t we?

          2. Hmmm…. Speaking of “seeing things”. We can only imagine what frank see’s at 2am after his 10th trip to the bathroom. Nancy with an AK. No wonder the man is delusional.

          3. Keep peeking in windows, and you won’t be around long. I don’t have any such problems as you put out, so you are peeking in wrong window, or a Democrat. Out right lies. As I told Robert (a neighbor years ago, when we had been seeing foot tracks in snow around our vehicles, after he and mother moved in), I would not consider anyone peeking in my window as a complement. With my 12 gauge, I would shoot, then call 911, and police and I would go examine who was outside my window, black or white, 6 ft 2in, or 5 ft.9in. He had just told me the Denver police, and Aurora police had been checking on him as a window peeper, but guy they wanted was the 6footer. He was only 5ft 9in.
            Later I had discussion with Aurora Policeman, and related that to him. He laughed, said he would do same, and see if “make my day” worked for police as well as other home owners. That was in day, when I was neighborhood watch for my blocks (several) since no one else would volunteer. Attended meetings in the Peoria library basement in those days.
            So sorry to confuse you. But I am the rational, responsible, neighbor when I was in my 60s, 70s. Now at 86, I have outlived many of you ankle biters.
            By the way, on 6 November, 2 small vials of blood was taken, and results showed all readings normal, and hand printed across face of report by Doctor: Kidney function and blood sugar is EXCELLENT. (That from my Cardiologist)
            Had same excellent report of blood analysis from Lab when blood was taken by my General Care Provider month earlier. Sorry to disappoint you, but think I am still outliving you, and hard to tell when God will decide to call me home.
            When that happens, you will have to find others to pick on.

          4. Peeping toms, shot guns and “ankle biters”. Sounds as though frank has problems. Maybe a change of locations would help.

            Good to know about frank’s kidneys. He had me worried for a moment.

          7. By the way. Trump is right on again. Close certain mosques where problems are showing up. Get those Inman’s out on the streets, where they can be recorded, and police will know what they are teaching, and influencing. Would have helped if that had been done with Reverend Wright, years ago, when Obama sat in his church and did not hear detrimental words.
            Have always wondered how Rev. Wright got so biased in the Marines during his service years. Know that blacks were not that happy with Navy or Marines In those days, and Lesbians and Gays tried so hard to infiltrate their ranks. Took Obama and bunch of judges to bring that about.
            Talk of going against the public votes.

          8. Gays and lesbians. Blacks unhappy with the military. No surprises with frank. He simply opens his mouth and vomits up a brain fart like this masterpiece. What else can one say!

      2. Sorry, you must be a reporter, judging by your responses perhaps even the one who wrote this piece.
        I shouldn’t have confused you with high-toned syntax. A narrative is a story, and onanism is self-gratification (getting sexual pleasure from yourself).

        1. I’m flattered. However we on the left leave the onanistic narratives to you on the right. Have a nice day.

  5. After reading posts so far, including my own, I will add this: Who on the Aurora Sentinel did we (anyone) elect to determine what good American actions, thoughts, or beliefs, BE? I missed the vote, if there was one. However, I do have many history books and articles of my family ancestors who manned the forts, fought the Indians, and came to this country from Europe in 1700s. Wife had grandmother hung as witch many centuries ago. (Goody Martin, Susannah Martin) in case you want to look it up. ——-

    I do believe there was many decisions, actions, and policies of that era, and afterwards that Sentinel employees would not approve of. By the way, I find it ironic that all of our major universities, and colleges, controlled by progressives-liberals-democrats- whatever but on the biased side of education, now have their students marching, demonstrating, and showing just how economically ignorant of Economics 101 is. —–

    Back to GITMO, my suggestion of these military prisoners, taken on battlefields by our allies and own services, were confined at GITMO to gain information. Now that we have it, and these are worst of the worst, and have no country who wants them back, I suggest we put all of them on one of the mothballed ships, and take it out and sink it as a fish harbor on ocean floor. Let them talk to the fishes. Was that not the words of the Mafia and who could be more American than they were? They might even be able to converse with Osama Bin Laden.

    1. Frank “missed the vote”. Sadly that’s not all he’s missed.

      Beware of economically ignorant university students marching and demonstrating. Franks say’s so!

      1. Suggest you read what Univ. of Missouri Alumni are saying about this, ryecatcher. Think you need to upgrade your thinking, and come into 21st century. That dude who took the food avoidance stance, was born into a family worth over $20,0 million. Not exactly racist attacked, or handicapped. And also go to Yale and read what the Black Leader of that University wrote today.
        Think you either need to update, or go back to writing on sidewalk with chalk. Snow will clean that out soon.

        1. The Black Leader at Yale! For “folks” like Frank, it is important to characterize race as prerequisite to making his point. Black leader white leader. Who cares other than “folks” like Frank.

          1. That is way the website listed it, and he spoke from that aspect. Not me that cares one whit. Have had tenants who called wife and I, Mom and Dad. (And they were Black, with one having white wife and child). Why do you take exception. When on active duty in ATIC (1955 to 1959) we had a young Airman First Class named Matthew Blackman, who was black. He loved to see me in town, and on sight, say “Hey, Whiteman” and I would reply “Hey Blackman”. Little old ladies eyes would widen up and they would stare.
            That was a joke with us, with me being White, and he Black. And that was before all this stupid dividing, and even before dividing into conservatives, moderates, and liberals. I am White, Republican (for the time being), and love my freedom. But keeping one weapon, even at age 86, in case some dam fool wants to check “make my day” law. Okay, with you. (by the way, why so picky during this period?)

          3. And before you jump my case, maybe you should go read what he had to say????? Or is that a problem for you? Don’t want to load you down , if you have a problem with that.

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