Jenny Brockie on SBS’s Insight holds a trial seeking to put further pressure on the Howard government to bring Hicks home and judging by the on-site poll, the pollsters, media’s version of a jury, want him home, voting 94% to 6% to do so. No mention at all as to whether he should answer the charges against him…just bring the poor missunderstood lad home.
I can only assume that 94% of SBS viewers believe it’s OK to fight against your own countrymen. Poor fellow, my country indeed!
Jenny shows extracts of the feature film called ‘The Road to Guantanamo’ backed by Amnsety International spokesperson Katie Wood who believes everything in the feature film, an ex inmate of Guantanamo, Moazzam Begg who surely would be kicked out of any court as a hostile witness, Terry and Bev Hicks who understandingly are against everything that deprives their son of liberty, Major Mori and George Williams a constitutional lawyer as witnesses and expert opinion for the defence.
Colonel Moe Davis leads the prosecution and Phillip Ruddock takes the side of the Government. Neither have a chance. The judge, Jenny, is biased as is the paid public gallery.
The “selected members of the public’ were Grahame and Debbie Goddard. Graham got to say;
But the fact of the matter is, is that he was caught red-handed being part of an illegal terrorist group and he was arrested. Now, only a court can tell us whether he’s innocent or guilty.
But was quickly negated by his wife who in a moment of unbiased rationale debate says;
I just think that the Australian Government, Mr Howard, is in Mr Bush’s pocket and I believe that David Hicks has been made a scapegoat.
Meanwhile, in the US the courts are eschewing emotion and politics and are considering the law
HOPES that David Hicks could be back in Australia by Christmas suffered a significant setback today in a US court. The US federal appeals panel in Washington DC ruled Guantanamo Bay inmates, including Hicks, do not have the right to challenge their detention in lower federal courts.
They shouldn’t have the right either. They are armed combatants fighting against the US. Major Mori seems to think they should be given the same constitutional rights as American citizens.
I can only say the campaign to free Dawood is well orchestrated and achieving results. I would think that by now the majority of the public think the entire issue is about his encarceration and give little thought to his alleged crimes.
Amazing isn’t it? within two generations treason has become OK so long as it’s against countries who have conservative goverments.