Category: The Dish

This is another chilling story from Iran. This time, a 16-year-old girl is hanged for "sexual immorality" which, so far as we can tell, was a function of being raped continuously by a man three times her age. Money quote:

Being stopped or arrested by the moral police is a fact of life for many Iranian teenagers. Previously arrested for attending a party and being alone in a car with a boy, Atefah received her first sentence for "crimes against chastity" when she was just 13. Although the exact nature of the crime is unknown, she spent a short time in prison and received 100 lashes… [Subsequently], the moral police said the locals had submitted a petition, describing her as a "source of immorality" and a "terrible influence on local schoolgirls".

So she was arrested again. Then there’s this moment in her "trial":

When Atefah realised her case was hopeless, she shouted back at the judge and threw off her veil in protest.

That earned her the noose. This is the enemy we face. And they do this in God’s name.

I think I just witnessed the most brilliant and surreal televised political interview in my life. When it’s up on YouTube or somewhere, would someone let me know? It was priceless. (Sign of the times: this fact is on Wikipedia’s profile of Holmes Norton within fifteen minutes of its being broadcast.)

Marty Lederman has posted the text of the White House’s draft legislation on military prisoners. It’s a work in progress but its scope is clear:

On first glance, it does not appear to be limited to aliens, nor even to Al Qaeda and other groups and individuals covered by the September 18, 2001 AUMF — it covers any and all "enemy combatants" against the U.S. and its allies in any conflict, anywhere and at any time.

Consider yourself warned. This kind of legislation, enabling the government to seize, imprison, and torture anyone, including U.S. citizens, without the legal protections accorded for centuries by Anglo-American principles of justice is deeply, deeply worrying.

A mob attacked attendees at a gay pride meeting in Riga, Latvia, this week. More photos here. Check out the t-shirts.

Neo-fascists joined in, and the police said they couldn’t do anything. Doug Ireland has a full report here.

Emaily Bazelon keeps score. Ponnuru is at his slippery worst again.

Republican? Moi? Another GOP candidate won’t even use the label in his election campaign. (Hat tip: Ryan.)

"The Prime Minister of Iraq and others have condemned Hezbollah and say they do not support them," – senator John McCain, yesterday.

He’s beginning to sounds as detached from reality as the president is. There are also ominous signs that he may agree to the administration’s position that their new military tribunals – which will allow for "coercive interrogation" – conform to Geneva Article 3. They don’t. Are we witnessing the selling of McCain’s soul for power? We can only pray we aren’t. He’s one of our last best hopes for the next presidency.

She wants committed gay couples to have all the benefits of civil marriage:

After years of declining to state her personal views on the matter – and without using the words "civil union," – Gov. Chris Gregoire said at a press conference a few minutes ago that the state should provide gay and lesbian couples with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexuals, but without actual marriage.

"As to my personal beliefs, Mike and I received the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic faith," she said. "State government provided us with certain rights and responsibilities, but the state did not marry us."

"I believe the state should provide these same rights and responsibilities to all citizens. I also believe the sacrament of marriage is between two people and their faith; it is not the business of the state."

The state legislature should get to work. Which was the not-so-subtle message of the court.

"It sucks. Honestly, it just feels like we’re driving around waiting to get blown up. That’s the most honest answer I could give you," said Spec. Tim Ivey, 28, of San Antonio, a muscular former backup fullback for Baylor University. "You lose a couple friends and it gets hard."

"No one wants to be here, you know, no one is truly enthused about what we do," said Sgt. Christopher Dugger, the squad leader. "We were excited, but then it just wears on you — there’s only so much you can take. Like me, personally, I want to fight in a war like World War II. I want to fight an enemy. And this, out here," he said, motioning around the scorched sand-and-gravel base, the rows of Humvees and barracks, toward the trash-strewn streets of Baghdad outside, "there is no enemy, it’s a faceless enemy. He’s out there, but he’s hiding."

"We’re trained as an Army to fight and destroy the enemy and then take over," added Dugger, 26, of Reno, Nev. "But I don’t think we’re trained enough to push along a country, and that’s what we’re actually doing out here."

"It’s frustrating, but we are definitely a help to these people," he said. "I’m out here with the guys that I know so well, and I couldn’t picture myself being anywhere else." – from the Washington Post today.

The question becomes: why is she invited on talk shows? She’s a vaudeville act of a deranged bigot.