Dear Editor,
I would just like to express how much I liked the article titled Americans Need to Evaluate their Definition of Freedom written by Ahmed Barakat last Wednesday. Like the author, I was horrified to see a nation who prides itself on individual rights and freedom but repeadly betrays those principles. I felt the article showed a lot of truths that many Americans are reluctant to see. One of the biggest being America’s lack of responsibility when dealing with conflicts around the world. The incidents at Abu-Ghraib prison are not isolated ones and its time for Americans to stand up and demand our nation be held responsible for its actions – whether they be good or bad. Although a shock to some, we cannot rely on our government alone to ensure basic liberties to those abroad and at home, which incidents at Abu-Ghraib prison and Guantanamo Bay has taught us. This is the real definition of patriotism. Though it may take a tragedy like the demorilizing abuse at Abu-Graib to finally wake America up, we should learn from this indicent and start redefining our motives and actions when “liberating” nations to prevent such atrocities in the future. If we don’t do it who will? Saddam perhaps?
Anisa RamailehJuniorPharm D. Major