What exactly is the difference between George W. Bush putting his signature
to an order providing, without further review, for the capture and torture,
even unto death, of dissident men and Pontius Pilate washing his hands of
the torture and death of Jesus of Nazareth?
First, of course, is the fact that George W. Bush was not set in place by a
foreign power. No, he's our very own creation, set up in the White House
by us, the American people, in whose name he makes decisions.
George W. Bush may issue instructions that he not be bothered with the
distateful particulars of the executions, that there be no more asking or
telling and no accounting to anyone, but that doesn't relieve the American
people of responsibility for what's being done in their name.
At least Pontius Pilate had the decency to confront the man he was about to
turn over to his executioners in person. So, that's another difference.
The American people, along with their leader, seem quite content to have
orders carried out in secret. And some, who lend their private jets for
the transport, are even eager to be paid.
Yes, the secrecy. That's the big difference. Under Roman law, the fate of
a man was decided and carried out in public and the complicity of the
Sanhedrin was recorded for posterity. Does the silence of our Senate then
suggest clean hands? One might hope. More likely, the absence of outrage
on the part of the Senate, as these outrages come to light, is evidence
that they have all been as complicit as the Sanhedrin, only in secret.
Which raises the question if we the people have just been blind or simply
overlooked that the big difference between representative government and
democracy is that Republican rule is by definition secret; that decisions
are to be made behind closed doors and in the dead of night "for the
benefit" of the people; and that this is both good and right and what we
should expect?
If that's what America has come to, a place where democracy is nothing more
than a vote for a cabal of secret interests, then the fact there's little
support for its spread around the globe should not come as a surprise. We
need to open our government up, let in the light and get government by the
people back on track. There's been enough suffering and death for
secrecy's sake. Let it not have been in vain.