The 'American Inquisition'

[dogday]

Through the mist of time, the Spanish Inquisition has come down to us as one of the most barbarous periods in all of history. Its viciousness peaked in the late 15th century, during the reign of the messianic "Catholic kings," Ferdinand and Isabella.

Paranoia gripped Spanish society as the Inquisition coincided with a Christian war against the Muslims of southern Spain. Clandestine trials, secret prisons, rampant eavesdropping, torture, desecration of Islam's holy books, and gruesome public executions created an atmosphere of pervasive terror. Suspects were assumed to be guilty, with no recourse to a defense, to a jury, or to a legitimate court.

In the chaos now roiling the Western world, does any of this sound familiar?

It is time to ask whether the United States, with some of these same touchstones, is entering a period of its own peculiar Inquisition. Of course, there are no burning places for heretics in America now. No Tomás de Torquemada presides over this period of internal anxiety and investigation.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-04-17-american-inquisition-edit_x.htm

[JuniperLea]

1. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Great find, dogday!

[No New War]

2. Interesting thought

I'm wondering just how far people might start taking the claims of anti-patriotism. Are we headed for a 21st century witch hunt, where we point fingers accusing our rivals of being terrorists? Will homeland security come and cart those 'terrorists' away never to be seen again? It's already frightening enough; you question the war or the president's executive priviledges and suddenly you're sympathizing with terrorists.

:yoiks:

[villager]

3. Time to buy/re-rent "The Devils" on DVD!

http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Reviews/A-D/devils.html




That said, amazing to see this piece in USA Today!

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Parallels to

Salem Witchcraft Trials

Palmer Raids

Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Unamerican Activities Committee

[JuniperLea]

5. We never learn

We just keep doing the same stupid stuff over and over...

[ladjf]

6. The Catholic inquisitions lasted about 800 years, culminating

in the infamous Spanish Inquisition. It does appear that unless some careful attention is paid to the role of religion in politics, we are definitely headed for a "New Age of Inquisition".