UC Irvine protesters humiliate torture-memo author

[donsu]

http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/05/23/news-schou.php

F. Yoo!
UC Irvine protesters humiliate torture-memo author


John C. Yoo, the Berkeley Law School professor and former Justice Department attorney who co-authored the Bush administration’s infamous torture memos, prefaced his Feb. 7 speech at UC Irvine’s University Club with a friendly wave at the roughly 200 protesters outside the glass window to his left.

"I know my visit has sparked controversy," Yoo joked. "But at Berkeley, the protesters don’t stay behind the glass. They come right up to the podium."

Yoo spoke too soon. He had barely completed his opening quip when a student seated several rows from the back of the audience stood up and interrupted him.

"John C. Yoo, you are directly responsible for the torture and abuses at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib," he shouted, pointing his finger at Yoo. "You should be ashamed!"

-snip-

"I’m not saying all the answers are easy," Yoo responded. "But our war is not against all terrorists, just the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Not all terrorists pose a threat to the U.S."

"Then what are we doing in Iraq?" someone yelled.

Instead of answering, Yoo complained about how he is being blamed for every Bush administration policy when really, his only role was to provide a legal justification for torture. But he didn’t get very far before being interrupted again, this time by a petite female student who ostentatiously stalked out the room. As she did so, she uttered a two-word verdict on Yoo that economically expressed the moral economy of the crowd: "You suck!"
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fighting back is a life saving option

Fallujah, the city america destroyed because it wanted to

[NV Whino]

1. Excuse me?

"I’m not saying all the answers are easy," Yoo responded. "But our war is not against all terrorists, just the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Not all terrorists pose a threat to the U.S."


The man actually stood up and said this? What happened to the all encompassing War on Terror?

[bowens43]

2. Even more disturbing:

his only role was to provide a legal justification for torture??????

[tishaLA]

3. Yes. His "only" role

the poor baby.

I wish I would have known he was going to be in Irvine. I have a few things I'd like to say to him, too.

[gratuitous]

4. Poor John, so misunderstood

Just because he penned a legal rationale for torturing folks for this corrupt administration, and they ran with it and began torturing folks, he can't for the life of him understand why people might hold him in some small way partially accountable for some of what ensued. He's probably just as mystified when some guy is found not guilty in a criminal matter, and he credits his attorney with saving him.

Oppenheimer was smart enough to draw the necessary conclusions between his work for the government and the mischief he had unleashed; Yoo just cashes the check and cries to anyone who will listen.