Disgusting

Two posts in one day is not a common occurrence for me. Actually, I have yet to do it. But, I just came across this article that literally made me sick to my stomach. I almost can't believe it. This ties in to my earlier post about our Constitutional rights. The District Attorney who prosecuted this case should be stripped of his bar certification. Read the story here. If you make it through the whole thing without feeling sick you need to reevaluate yourself.

Remember that freedom thingie?

I think this is a sad but true depiction of what awaits Obama for his first term. As a law professor and President of Harvard Law Review, constitutional rights are more than just meaningless rhetoric to the President-Elect. Evidence of this has already surfaced with his desire to close Guantanamo Bay, and provide fair and open trials to some detainees while releasing others. This plan has met with criticism from both sides of the aisle. Regardless of your take on this, it is unlikely to happen soon, if at all. Believe me though, from a Constitutional Law point of view this is the only way to reconcile the detention of suspected terrorists with the freedom and liberty provided by the Bill of Rights.

Our facility at Guantanamo Bay represents just one of the many, many Constitutional violations endorsed and carried out by the Bush administration. From the Patriot Act to water-boarding, the violations range from small to downright egregious. It will take years to tape our Constitution back together in an attempt to undo the damage. Check out a pretty good list of Bush Constitutional violations (current through December 2007) here.

Let us hope that a man who has studied and taught Constitutional Law can return the Constitution to its once proud state as the "Supreme Law of the Land".

Yes We Can!

I am writing this post today as an American who has never been prouder of this country. For the first time, voters came out in droves and showed the rest of the world that we stand for equality and opportunity. It is awe-inspiring to watch the rise of someone who was not raised in the upper echelon of our society. Barack Obama was born poor and raised by a combination of his mother and maternal grandparents. He clawed his way to success through hard work and sacrifice. He is proof that enough hard work and determination can gain you any success your heart desires.

I do not know if Obama will be a great president. I don't even know if he will be a good one. But what I do know is that last night Americans made history by electing an African-American President decades before anyone thought it was possible. In doing so we proved to the rest of the world that America is a nation of opportunity, and that freedom and equality truly mean what we idealize them to be. This is a moment that I will be proud to tell my children I was alive for.

The arguments will begin today to question how, and if, Obama will be able to fulfill the promises he has made on the campaign trail. There will be low points and points of doubt, but do yourself a favor. For one second at some point today, before the memory fades, allow yourself to be proud of how far this country has come. Whether you are Democrat or Republican, this is a moment that cannot be cheapened. This is a rare moment of purity. A moment that is capable of restoring your faith in the American public and in the American dream. Allow yourself to feel that shimmer of light inside. It's unfamiliar because it hasn't been around for about eight years. But it feels good... It's called Hope.

I leave you with this quote I heard from my African-American friend Larry. I am unsure of the original source.

"Rosa sat so Martin could walk, Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so our children could fly!"