Forgive and Forget

So I'm at home kind of celebrating what I now understand is Washington's and not Washington & Lincoln's Birthdays.

So what do I run into, but Greenwald and Firedoglake commenting on Conason's article arguing that Obama should pardon the Bush people who approved the torture. Now at last a guard from Guantanamo has come out. He talks about massive amounts of torture which are still being justified by those formally in charge.

New information is also coming out about Yoo and the others who wrote the torture justifying memo. A bunch of lawyers violating their oaths. Interestingly enough lawyers don't like other lawyers violating our codes of ethics. We look bad enough as it is.

Lets say you asked me to give you a legal opinion as to whether or not you could smoke crack in your office and I came back and said that in my legal opinion you can't. Then, let's say you offered me something to tell you, you could (or let's just say I'm some sort of pathetic puppy dog who wants your love). After that, if I came back with an opinion that you could indeed smoke crack in your office you might be surprised when the cops came and arrested you (but if you can tie your own shoes, probably not). Guess what, you wouldn't be able to show the cops and the judge that opinion and walk out of the court a free man or woman. Not only that, but I would be referred to the Bar Association and proceedings would be instituted to prevent me from giving such (or any) opinions in the future. One thing that wouldn't happen is that I wouldn't be given a tenured position at a law school.

Of course as Greenwald points out enabling torture is a crime. So Yoo and Bush and those guys are not just enablers, but criminals themselves. By any definition really. My clients often end up in jail or prison. Why not jail for the powerful and wealthy too? Oh wait: powerful and wealthy, I guess I've answered my own question.

So Conason, who was so right about the proceedings against Clinton, is so wrong here. He might be one of those folks Thoreau wrote about who are too limited by their own experiences to see something new.

More Yoo

Another thought about giving my advice to clients who might want to break the law. Perhaps if I told people who wanted to commit burglary that they should just call it: "Enhanced Entry Techniques" that would do it for them.

Yoo and School

Well let's see the dean of Yoo's law school has decided that his tenure should not be revoked. How convenient.

Yoo was not a "decider," he only recommended that our rulers violate all our previously upheld norms of civilization as far as torture was concerned. Much like a lawyer for a mafia family.

Under the ABAs ethical standards, if a client comes to me and tells me that he wants to kidnap and torture that young child from next door, I am required to notify the police immediately. No not just that, if he tells me he wants to kidnap and torture that child molester from next door I am also required to notify the police immediately. I am not permitted to suggest ways and means of accomplishing these future acts which are clearly criminal.

Now if a client came to me and told me he had already committed a crime I could help him devise ways and means of beating the rap at trial. But even then I couldn't suggest that he do something to alter the evidence, like destroy some. Because, that would be a future crime.

No one in the media seems

WAIT OBAMA SAYS PEOPLE ARE BITTER