Once more, events require an alternate subject for this week's sermon. We turn the podium over to our Staff Ethicist, who, as usual these days, is sad. He is depressed by the worldwide decline in the ethical standing of the United States. Begin with the inexcusable example of Guantanamo. There are prisoners held, and destined to be held, forever, without charges, trial and conviction. An example is a hapless lout who seems to have been bin Laden's driver. Gosh! What a criminal! What a threat to the civilized world! The Bush Administration says it can't just set these dangerous terrorists free. Well, sure, but who says this particular fellow is a terrorist? If you know he is, try him, convict him, and shoot him at dawn. But if you can't do that because you don't know what he did, then you are making a grave logical and ethical error – that of assuming guilt before trial. So, before the bar of world opinion, the U.S. is guilty of unethical behavior.

Send to e-mail address:*

From e-mail address:*

Your comment to this article:

* Required fields

<< back