Comments on: Ex-Guantánamo prisoner refused entry into UK, held in deportation centre http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/02/25/ex-guantanamo-prisoner-refused-entry-into-uk-held-in-deportation-centre/ Investigative journalist, author, filmmaker and Guantanamo expert Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:40:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Britain’s Guantánamo: Fact or Fiction? by Andy Worthington « Dandelion Salad http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/02/25/ex-guantanamo-prisoner-refused-entry-into-uk-held-in-deportation-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-35947 Britain’s Guantánamo: Fact or Fiction? by Andy Worthington « Dandelion Salad Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:35:16 +0000 http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/?p=1473#comment-35947 [...] Treated Fairly? (July 2008), Abu Qatada: Law Lords and Government Endorse Torture (February 2009), Ex-Guantánamo prisoner refused entry into UK, held in deportation centre (February 2009), Home Secretary ignores Court decision, kidnaps bailed men and imprisons them in [...] [...] Treated Fairly? (July 2008), Abu Qatada: Law Lords and Government Endorse Torture (February 2009), Ex-Guantánamo prisoner refused entry into UK, held in deportation centre (February 2009), Home Secretary ignores Court decision, kidnaps bailed men and imprisons them in [...]

]]> By: Andy Worthington http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/02/25/ex-guantanamo-prisoner-refused-entry-into-uk-held-in-deportation-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-32727 Andy Worthington Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:02:59 +0000 http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/?p=1473#comment-32727 Nell and Frances, Thank you both for your comments. In your own ways you have both, I think, illuminated what happens in society -- and what has clearly happened since 9/11 -- when we are encouraged to demonize and dehumanize the "other." Obviously, this happens with prisoners who have been charged, tried and sentenced, who emerge from their imprisonment having supposedly paid their debt to society through the loss of their liberty, but who still find themselves stigmatized, because "we" as a whole prefer punishment to rehabilitation. However, the demonization and dehumanization of "terror suspects" is clearly at another level -- one, very disturbingly, that we saw in the States with the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II and that we still see in the legacy of slavery (despite Obama's success), one that we saw in the UK in the 1970s and 80s with "The Troubles," as the collective demonization of Irish people was euphemistically referred to, and one that, if we peer a little more closely (as we all should) we will see reflected in the genocidal impulses of Nazi Germany. With "terror suspects," such as those held in Guantanamo, who were released without charge or trial, the comments made by your audience member, Frances, are particularly disturbing because no avenue for rehabilitation remains open. Despite being brutalized outside the law, the Guantanamo prisoners are the permanent "other," and once such a position is taken, the only way forward is into further darkness and division. It's getting cold in here ... Nell and Frances,
Thank you both for your comments. In your own ways you have both, I think, illuminated what happens in society — and what has clearly happened since 9/11 — when we are encouraged to demonize and dehumanize the “other.” Obviously, this happens with prisoners who have been charged, tried and sentenced, who emerge from their imprisonment having supposedly paid their debt to society through the loss of their liberty, but who still find themselves stigmatized, because “we” as a whole prefer punishment to rehabilitation.
However, the demonization and dehumanization of “terror suspects” is clearly at another level — one, very disturbingly, that we saw in the States with the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II and that we still see in the legacy of slavery (despite Obama’s success), one that we saw in the UK in the 1970s and 80s with “The Troubles,” as the collective demonization of Irish people was euphemistically referred to, and one that, if we peer a little more closely (as we all should) we will see reflected in the genocidal impulses of Nazi Germany.
With “terror suspects,” such as those held in Guantanamo, who were released without charge or trial, the comments made by your audience member, Frances, are particularly disturbing because no avenue for rehabilitation remains open. Despite being brutalized outside the law, the Guantanamo prisoners are the permanent “other,” and once such a position is taken, the only way forward is into further darkness and division.
It’s getting cold in here …

]]> By: Frances Madeson http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/02/25/ex-guantanamo-prisoner-refused-entry-into-uk-held-in-deportation-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-32725 Frances Madeson Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:08:21 +0000 http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/?p=1473#comment-32725 This issue of "taint" is very serious. At a book talk and discussion I gave last month at a public library in suburban New York, one woman baldly admitted that she wouldn't want the Guantanamo prisoners (hypothetically) re-settled in her community, even those who had done absolutely no wrong. She admitted it wasn't rational, but it was something she felt strongly. None of the other attendees voiced any particular disagreement with her. Another woman talked about "limited psychic energy" to even embrace the issues around collective culpability and redress. The subject of restitution was also anathema--the concern of the group was squarely with the impact of the dismal economy on their own families and communities. The experience was illuminating in a rather dark way. This issue of “taint” is very serious. At a book talk and discussion I gave last month at a public library in suburban New York, one woman baldly admitted that she wouldn’t want the Guantanamo prisoners (hypothetically) re-settled in her community, even those who had done absolutely no wrong. She admitted it wasn’t rational, but it was something she felt strongly. None of the other attendees voiced any particular disagreement with her. Another woman talked about “limited psychic energy” to even embrace the issues around collective culpability and redress. The subject of restitution was also anathema–the concern of the group was squarely with the impact of the dismal economy on their own families and communities. The experience was illuminating in a rather dark way.

]]> By: Nell http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/02/25/ex-guantanamo-prisoner-refused-entry-into-uk-held-in-deportation-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-32715 Nell Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:37:03 +0000 http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/?p=1473#comment-32715 There is really no cruelty so petty that the U.S. and British governments won't stoop to it where these men are concerned. It's an ugly feature of human beings: when they're conscious of having hurt another, they start to project their guilt onto that person and treat them even worse. There is really no cruelty so petty that the U.S. and British governments won’t stoop to it where these men are concerned.

It’s an ugly feature of human beings: when they’re conscious of having hurt another, they start to project their guilt onto that person and treat them even worse.

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