In his speech to the Republican Convention in Madison Square Garden tonight, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (herein called Arnold) spoke of his youth in Austria during a period of Soviet occupation of part of that country. Arnold recalled his own fear of having his father and uncle pulled out of the family car by Soviet soldiers and hauled off never to be seen again. In contrast, Arnold praised U.S. President George W. Bush as putting America in "good hands". I wonder if Arnold ever bothered to think about the fears that Iraqi citizens have of sudden seizure in the middle of the night by U.S. soldiers under Bush Administration policies.
I wonder if Arnold ever heard of the torture policies connived by Bush Administration lawyers under the guise of exemption of the "Commander in Chief" from international laws. I wonder if Arnold is aware that even in America, under the Patriot Acts (I and II) which are favored by this president, people in America, can be hauled off to prison without charges, without access to council, without even knowing what evidence (or lack of it) is placed into their records.
I wonder if Arnold has bothered to watch Indy media coverage of the tactics of New York police and other law enforcement agencies on the streets of New York during the very convention he spoke at. I wonder if Arnold is aware that police are carrying portable nets to confine people who have not been accused of a crime simply because their presence is unwanted in certain parts of the City. I wonder if Arnold knows how many protesters were effectively kidnapped by police who impounded them behind barricades for no reason other than to "calm them down" according to testimony of activists held on the streets in that manner.
I wonder if Arnold is aware of the large scale suppression of free speech and democracy in New York, in Baghdad and Fallujah and Najaf. I wonder if Arnold knows that U.S. military snipers have deprived numerous Iraqi citizens of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness under the presidency of the man Arnold says puts us in "good hands."
I wonder if Arnold knows that many, many citizens of this planet see Bush as something far different than a benefactor or man of honor. I wonder if Arnold can see at all — maybe his eyes were strained by all that pumping of iron during his body building days.
Many of us feel that America and the world is not in good hands with Bush as president, and in fact, his hands ought to be cuffed as he is led away to prison for high crimes and misdemeanors, war crimes, crimes against humanity and criminal conspiracy with his criminal administration.
