Habeas Corpus: More Congressional SHAME

We've just returned to the Middle Ages of western civilization, in the name of Homeland Security (read: protection of a corrupt and unruly, un-American administration from righteous consequences of their national and international actions against the human beings THEY fear - they fear for reasons they're UNWILLING to publicly disclose.)

In fact I'm myself given to exaggeration; and my knee-jerk, dramatic reference to the "Middle Ages" felt as if I might be exaggerating. However and alas, I fear Middle Ages is indeed the period of time, in Europe, between the 3rd and 14th centuries to which I refer. First arrival of the codification of habeas corpus, which legal writ was thrown out by this republican Congress yesterday (Sept 28, 2006) is dated 1305, Great Britain, under the rule of King Edward I.

"A writ of habeas corpus is a court order addressed to a prison official (or other custodian) ordering that a detainee be brought to the court so it can be determined whether or not that person is imprisoned lawfully and whether or not he or she should be released from custody. The writ of habeas corpus in common law countries is an important instrument for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action." - Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus

"This procedure, part of English common law, was considered important enough to be specifically mentioned in the United States Constitution, which says, "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." (Article One, section nine)." - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus#History

Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Arlen Specter (R- PA) have been working arduously to preserve habeas corpus and the rights of detainees to due process of law in these United States (so sanctified if you will, by our beloved Constitution, which is lifted up as that which marks the wonder of American Democracy.) Leahy and Specter have been in this struggle since early in this Bush administration when John Ashcroft was Attorney General. They will go down in history as tireless servants of citizen protection from government tyrrany, while this administration and the corresponding congress will be marked for an attempt to fly in the face of the Constitution of the United States of America.

"If the Administration and the Republican leadership of the Senate believe that suspending the writ is constitutional and justified, they should grant the joint request that Chairman Specter and I made last week for a sequential referral of the bill. Constitutional issues involving the writ of habeas corpus are at the center of this Committee’s jurisdiction. We can and should review this legislation thoroughly, and if a few habeas petitions are filed in the meantime, we will not lose the War on Terror as a result of those filings. If this Congress votes to suspend the writ of habeas corpus first and ask questions later, liberty and accountability will be the victims." - Senator Patrick Leahy, Vermont http://tinyurl.com/qkkxd

For SHAME ... and heaven help us.

It's Not Easy to Practice Sacred Principles, Living at Home

Yesterday I had a delicious conversation with a friend, mentor and colleague at the School of Nursing where I teach.

We talked at length about the ways each our personal spiritual paths and practices guide our most tender choices (as well as choices associated with duty in all domains of daily life.)

You see we share a peculiar struggle to behave with integrity and generosity as we fulfill the role of sister in families of origin. I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that too often the rest of the world persists in promoting "Pleasantville" models of family-life, leaving out folks living within real families, with real and complicated life circumstances.

My entry's not really intended to launch discourse about family, rather a curiosity within the spiritual lives of those who practice some sort of faith. I'd noted to my friend, that recently there was a video-clip on television news that presented a group of Sri Lankan buddhist monks brawling at a peace rally in Colombo! The spectacle disoriented me completely, as I've been in the presence of ochre-robed monks, most often when my husband (practices Buddhist meditation) and I started our courtship in the late 70's. My eyes were telling me something my brain simply wouldn't accept without a whole lot of rationalizing!
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2324549

Ellen laughed and reminded me that throughout religious history, warrior priests have had a role to play, and that indeed the martial arts utilize spiritual practices to sharpen capacity for combat in warfare. Yes, at a level I already knew this; I believe too that she herself is probably focused on world peace rather than warfare in her own practice (Zen Buddhism.)

Somehow the matters of family, compassion and right relationship are woven together for me in this post with a focus on faith practice. Ellen and I both think inwardly and out loud, about how easily we become confused about those situations that provoke the most personal and intimate concerns. Ultimately we agree that principles of justice somehow become signposts on this path, a path whereon we utilize spiritual practice and the golden rule to be good both to ourselves and to others - whether they are remotely significant or social intimates.

---

"For a long time, lord, I have seen the drawbacks in sensual passions, but the household life is crowded with many duties, many things to be done."
- Ven. Sona to the Lord Buddha, in the Vinaya (Mv.V.13.1-13)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.06.than.html

Give Me Your Tired Your Poor

... (but that's ancient history, you know, like the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, American Constitution, abolition of slavery, institution of slavery, invasion of lands inhabited by native American peoples by Columbus seeking gold for Spanish royalty, and subsequent genocidal atrocities ... sorry, I keep forgetting that we live in the 2nd Millennium.)

During the past week, I’ve struggled to stay in conversation with other bloggers who are quite conservative in their politics. One blog, has been self-righteous about the matter of U.S. immigration policy. Several choir-members extol the concept of “illegal” immigrants as criminals.

Since their presence in our country is criminal, “Illegal” immigrants, have no right to our support with health, childcare, child education, housing, other basic needs. On the other hand we happily fail to gain knowledge of their non-citizen status until after they’ve already served us more than adequately and for low wages. Typically, "illegal" immigrants are hired without the usual agreements of employment we American citizens expect for ourselves.

"What?? Are we expected to ask every Latin American in our employ whether they have legal documents??" Well. What do employers usually do to screen employment applicants?? I've been asked routinely for all manner of identifying documents, even finger-printed at that point of the process of gaining the right to work when and where I applied.

Suddenly we’re appalled that Latino immigrants have criminally invaded our country. No doubt Latin American mass demonstrations, insisting we acknowledge their participation in our community systems have captured our attention. These folks want to be treated as citizens (in the Christian tradition they want to be treated like neighbors,) and as willing employees who have legitimate agreements with their employers.

Much of my sleep last night, was laced with ruminations over American hostility and unwillingness to share resources with Latin Americans - they who all but fill the role of indentured servants at our pleasure. I wonder, are we so close to that evil and not so old habbit of willingly enslaving the poor of other nations?

Might we be able to find guidance from the Christian values found in the scriptural Sermon on the Mount? Is it possible that the Apostle Matthew, might help us to see that our faith can help us to live the miracle of gracious generosity (even when the multitudes are equivalent to the numbers we experience from Mexico?) How awful would it be to hold to our tradition of remembering that we're a nation descended of and inhabited by immigrants?

A Mystic's Reassurance for Our Times

The roads are different,
but the goal is one.

When people reach the goal,
all those who yelled at each other along the road,
"You are wrong!" or "You are a blasphemer!"
forget all possible differences.

There, all hearts sing in unison.

- Rumi

-----

Surely my own passionate and righteous indignation
inflames others; they puff up and hurl epithets my way.

Then recoiling, holding myself tightly
and gathering new strength for taking next steps
I search inside for a lens with perspective
and remember, "love, forgiveness, gratitude."

But how to act on that? Figuring it out,
we'll save this beautiful planet for future generations.

Pushing Off from the Deep!

Andrea here, launching my first Blogger post.

Finding voice and making contact through these words, saying "Hello out there!"

Always thinking, sometimes a little cranky, enthusiastically searching for ways to participate now toward a tomorrow that breathes freely, deeply and without cost to myself or to others.

I'm a Nurse Psychotherapist - a wife - dwelling in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Justice and antioppression are passions of mine, together with a longing belief that surely there's enough for everyone to be well, happy and peaceful. Too often I rail against the reality that presses my face to poverty, injustice and pestilence that our nation seems to grow in full bounty, and then to wield against those who modestly eke their daily fruits.

Listening to the words today of Hugo Chavez at the U.N., it's impossible to stifle my grinning agreement that our president surely appears as "the devil" who leaves the stench of sulfur where he walks. Only "the devil" would have the audacity to declare that others are "evil" and then decimate entire nations, espousing the delivery of democracy on platters of war.

Eternally hopeful for regime change from within our own wonderful nation, I believe as did Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

Thanks for reading - I'm eager to have company on this journey.