Robert Redford says time for Dick Cheney to defend himself not on TV but in court of law.

[madfloridian]

American Democracy and Torture

And some candid remarks about Cheney.

When U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein recently released the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the U.S. use of torture, like many, I was both moved by her tenacity and shocked by the picture it painted of American democracy. America tortured people after 9/11 and here was the proof. You can debate whether or not it "worked" but it appears in most cases we never tried anything else so we'll never know. You can't debate what a hit this is on the moral imperative inherent in American democracy.

It's no secret that former Vice President Dick Cheney has never been one of my favorites. And I will admit that when I saw him rise again on the Sunday morning shows and other television outlets around this torture report a few weeks back, my first reaction was "Why are they talking to him? Shouldn't he be on trial for violating international law?" So, of course he should have been there. We live in a democracy! And, as he sits square in the middle of this whole controversy I had to admit I was curious as to his reaction.

There he was in all his glory, in all his arrogance, defending torture, or rather enhanced interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding and rectal feeding -- which he said he believed was done for medical reasons. Really? He defended it all. I couldn't help but think that maybe it's time Vice President Cheney move from defending his actions on Fox News and Meet the Press, and be asked to defend it in a court of law.

Let's face it, turning this kind of microscope on our own actions brings with it a lot of controversy, calls that we are endangering or damaging the CIA, or opening a can of worms that is best left closed. The dilemmas of a free society are many, and this is one of them. And the dilemmas of a free society are messy. But we should never walk away from them because of that.

[daleanime]

1. Amen....

[marym625]

2. Love Robert Redford

And he's spot on! Usually is

[Doctor_J]

3. Redford doesn't understand 12D chess

If the president prosecutes Cheney, then the Repukes won't work with him, and, um, there's that, and, uh, something else I think...

rec

[George II]

18. And if he doesn't prosecute Cheney then the republicans WILL work with him?

[Doctor_J]

21. no, but the excuserator doesn't deal with that case

I have also read on du that holder won't prosecute Cheney because he's afraid of looking like an "angry black man". The excuserator doesn't have to make sense.

[JEB]

4. There is absolutely no excuse for torture

or excusing torture. The only way forward is through prosecution.

[KingCharlemagne]

5. All due respect, but how many divisions does Redford command (to borrow a line from

Last edited Thu Jan 1, 2015, 12:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Jospeh Stalin). A majority of Americans still think torture is justified and\or 'works' (provided one uses the euphemism 'enhanced interrogation techniques'). Given those numbers, Redford is whistling in the dark. Would that it were not so. Now were the civilized nations of the world to unite around isolating the U.S. until such time as she rendered her alleged war criminals to face a competent international tribunal, we might get some justice. Until then, I'm not holding my breath.

[Boomerproud]

13. Yes, he's whistling in the dark, as you say

but he's also right. Put me in Mr. Redford's camp on this one.

[Maineman]

16. Apparently we are in the position of having to rely on other nations to bring justice.

Thank you Rupert Murdoch, you greedy (or fascist) monster!!

[cascadiance]

25. He does run one of the largest independent film festivals (Sundance Film Festival)

He also used to run the Sundance channel that had a lot of independent programming before AMC bought it out. It would be nice if he could revive the Sundance Channel as a separate entity again.

[Diclotican]

60. KingCharlemagne

KingCharlemagne

If enough americans had know what was been doing in their name - they would tear Dart Vader appart - lim for lim - and then continued with everyone who had the lastest resembleance with the GWB administration - and then maybe really got nasty....

Diclotican

[grahamhgreen]

63. Show me a pole where the majority thinks that torturing an innocent person to death is OK.

[KingCharlemagne]

65. I get and readily concede your point (I think), but I have to tell you that the % of Americans

who declared themselves either in strong or moderate support of 'enhanced interrogation techniques' after the Senate Select Committee released its Executive Summary was distressingly high. The Executive Summary, mind you, detailed at least one instance where the CIA tortured a detaineed to death. ("Detailed' may be too strong a word, admittedly.)

I don't have links to those polls readily at hand, but they were widely discussed here.

If you take the time to read the analysis here, for example, I can almost guarantee you will share my distress:

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/senate-torture-report-public-opinion/

BTW: It's 'poll' (not 'Pole') unless you're making an obscure reference to Zbigniew Brzezinski, in which case I bow down before your stilleto-like wit!

[Dont call me Shirley]

6. Robert Redford has long been one of my heroes. Love him.

[easychoice]

7. Take YOO and Bush too.It DIDN'T work.no debate necessary.

It did embarrass the hell out of your average taxpayer though.

[Jackpine Radical]

8. I always liked ol' Sundance.

I'm glad he survived that little mess down in Bolivia.

[They_Live]

9. "If he's done nothing wrong

then he's got nothing to hide, and nothing to worry about"

Right? C'mon Cheney, are you chicken?

[Maineman]

14. Hell yes, he is.

[George II]

19. Need we ask ol' "Five Draft Deferments" Cheney if he's chicken?

[calimary]

58. I would love to see a court of law tell HIM to "go fuck himself."

Or better still - a WAR CRIMES Tribunal. And frankly, I wouldn't even care where it was. Although Nuremberg would be a nice touch.

[Lars39]

10. Love the wording..."...saw him rise again..." like the undead.

[madfloridian]

22. Me, too.

Perfect description.

[Garion_55]

11. why cant we post facebook pics in here?

i just made this robert redford meme and am trying to post it in here 8-(



?oh=2158101f2cc01ab708c19ee9d2c1a19e&oe=5533AA84&__gda__=1428903314_a07da234de3a7c016151728acb233673



h ttps://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10906257_10204208743917227_4393458381149090077_n.jpg?oh=2158101f2cc01ab708c19ee9d2c1a19e&oe=5533AA84&__gda__=1428903314_a07da234de3a7c016151728acb233673

[Rhiannon12866]

17. You need a .jpg or .png extension

I upload my pix (from my computer) to Photobucket, then post the direct link.

[Frustratedlady]

12. Where IS Cheney?

He's been awfully quiet of late, compared to after the report came out.

[George II]

20. He's in an undisclosed location, same as he was when America was attacked under his administration.

[IDemo]

23. See: "Spider hole"

[Frustratedlady]

29. One can only hope. eom

[maddiemom]

37. Cheney would never subject himself to such "discomfort."

He has other priorities, such as lining up his next "heart."

[libodem]

53. Hanging upside down

In his coffin closet. Pure unadulterated fucking evil.

History will not be kind to this NeoHitlarian Liar of Gargantuan Proportions.

[erronis]

54. Depends on who gets to write (and edit) history

Otherwise I totally agree with your characterization of this bag of slime (apologies to the snails and sputum.)

[libodem]

56. A meatpuppet of sin

[UTUSN]

15. R#55 & k n/t

[madfloridian]

24. Video Dick Cheney would torture again. NBC

[sabrina 1]

26. There has never been a more public and glaring invitation for prosecution than Cheney's

continued support for torture, and public admission of WAR CRIMES.

And yet, he is still wandering around, being treated with kid gloves, by our CORPORATE MEDIA.

In 2007 his poll ratings were 13%. What they are now one can only imagine.

So what is the problem with indicting such an unapologetic WAR CRIMINAL?

No one likes him anyhow!

[madfloridian]

27. Your last sentence made me laugh.

It is so true.

[sabrina 1]

30. I think I read somewhere that Satan is more popular than Cheney.

So I don't get it. He has confessed, publicly to war crimes. He is probably among the least popular people in the world.

Yet our government is protecting him!

[madfloridian]

31. And he gets on TV anytime, anywhere. A media darling.

I don't get it either.

[sabrina 1]

32. I know, it doesn't make sense. Even the Bushes don't like him, They would probably

be happy to throw him under the bus. Unless they are worried about him blaming Bush the Lesser, which he has already done btw.

[rhett o rick]

61. I bet Cheney knows where some of the Bush's ghosts are buried. But I think

Poppy has the app that will let him shut off Cheney's blood pumper on his I-Phone. But as long as Richard "Little Dick" Cheney is alive, it takes some of the negative attention off the Bush Crime Family.

[MADem]

40. He probably has "dirt" on a shitload of people. That's usually how it's done!

He got his training in the Nixon White House, after all--he's been "nefarious" for a long, long time.

That Doctor Evil wasn't born yesterday!!

[Thespian2]

43. Right On, Sabrina 1

Satan gained his popularity from John Milton's "Paradise Lost." He was the most interesting character in the poem. Evil is often more popular than goodness. Not in Cheney's case.

Cheney gained his negative popularity from being a common murderer who is a member of the ruling elite in America. Most thinking people believe he should be subjected to torture in one of his "dark sites." Along with, of course, his sock-puppet Bush, Rummy, Condi, and all the PNAC writers, including Jebby Bush.

[CrispyQ]

45. One of my all time fave cartoons, just for you:

[sabrina 1]

49. Lol! That is funny! n/t

[KingCharlemagne]

67. This may warm your heart. There are polls that suggest the Communist Party is

more popular now than Congress! (King George III is also twice as popular as Congress, but even so . . . ) I swear you cannot make this shit up!

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/11/congress-less-popular-than-communism-bp-during-spill-nixon-during-watergate-or-king-george-during-american-revolution.html

[blkmusclmachine]

28. Cheney is TBTF, I'm afraid. Must look forward, you know...

[Skittles]

33. THANK YOU MR. REDFORD

love anyone willing to speak out about that piece of SHIT

[Joe Turner]

34. Happy New Year Sir Redford

Your heart is as big as this world. Unlike the shrunken used heart of Mr. Chickenshit / Warmonger "I had other priorities" Cheney.

[cascadiance]

35. It seems like in this era, Bob Woodward should study and emulate Robert Redford...

... instead of the reverse which Redford did when playing Woodward in All the President's Men

[mopinko]

51. ^^^ boy howdy.

wonder how he feels about that movie now.

[99th_Monkey]

36. Thank you Robert Redford

Hello Mr. President Obama. ???

Now can I hear an aye-men?

[wildbilln864]

38. k & fucking r! n/t

[MADem]

39. If it ever got to that point, the Cheney family would claim he croaked and was quietly cremated...

...and he'd hop on a Lear jet to a sunny distant island, where a cold tropical drink and a lounge chair next to Ken Lay's awaited him! They could play games like BATTLESHIP and RISK and STRATEGO together in the Game Hut, while some poor Gilligan waited on them, hand and foot!

I kid, I kid...but only just!

[Calista241]

42. While I don't disagree with what he says, it infuriates me

That Robert Redford's opinions about shit are newsworthy enough to get an article written, published, and then posted about on forums for discussion everywhere across the country.

Dick Cheney should / needs to be be prosecuted, and I don't need Robert Fucking Redford's opinion to tell me about it. He's a fucking actor. He was even a good actor back in the day. But his opinion means jack shit. Robert Redford, William Shattner, Arnold Schwarzenegger; nobody should care what they think.

Sorry for bitching, but this Hollywood idolation our country has just really pisses me off sometimes.

[Enthusiast]

47. I couldn't disagree with you more. The "Right" controls the media.

All we hear is their skewed point of view.

I am thrilled that Robert Redford has given our side a voice, a voice that is seldom heard.

[lunatica]

62. Robert Redford - from Wikipedia

Redford has accomplished more for this planet than I could ever dream of doing. How about you? Are you more accomplished?

Your conceit is breathtaking.

************
Political activity

Redford supports environmentalism, Native American rights, LGBT rights,[37] and the arts. He has also supported advocacy groups, such as the Political Action Committee of the Directors Guild of America.[38] Redford has on occasion also supported Republicans, including Brent Cornell Morris in his unsuccessful 1990 race for Utah's 3rd congressional district seat.[38][39] Redford also supported Gary Herbert, another Republican and a friend, in Herbert's successful 2004 campaign to be elected Utah's Lieutenant Governor. Herbert later became Governor of Utah.[40] Redford is an avid environmentalist and is a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In April 2014, Redford, a Pitzer College Trustee, and Pitzer College President Laura Skandera Trombley announced that the college will divest fossil fuel stocks from its endowment; at the time, it was the higher education institution with the largest endowment in the US to make this commitment. The press conference was held at the LA Press Club.[41] In November 2012, Pitzer launched the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability at Pitzer College. The Redford Conservancy educates the next generation of students to create solutions for the most challenging and urgent sustainability problems.

Honors
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford

Redford attended the University of Colorado in the 1950s and received a Honorary Degree in 1988.
In 1989, the National Audubon Society awarded Redford its highest honor, the Audubon Medal.[22]
In 1995, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Bard College. He was a 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award/Honorary Oscar recipient at the 74th Academy Awards.[23]
In 1996, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[24]
In December 2005, he received the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture. The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts: whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television.[citation needed]
In 2008, he was awarded The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, one of the richest prizes in the arts, given annually to "a man or woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind's enjoyment and understanding of life."[25]
The University of Southern California (USC) School of Dramatic Arts announced the first annual Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists in 2009. According to the school's web site, the award was created "to honor those who have distinguished themselves not only in the exemplary quality, skill and innovation of their work, but also in their public commitment to social responsibility, to increasing awareness of global issues and events, and to inspiring and empowering young people."[26]
Redford received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Brown University at the 240th Commencement exercises on May 25, 2008.[27] He also spoke during the ceremonies.
On October 14, 2010, he was appointed Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur.[28]
He was a 2010 recipient of the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts [29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Redford

[Calista241]

69. lot of free time when you're a 1%'er

[lunatica]

70. Your obvious betterness is a sad thing

Do you think that if you're not a 1%er you're better than the 1%ers who make life better for humanity? I think you probably do, while you also probably sit and do nothing and use the fact that you're not a 1%er as the excuse.

[Calista241]

71. Yeah yeah, i bow down before your and Robert Redford's superiorness

Someone should build a statue or something.

I've contributed monetarily to causes that i support, and I've dedicated a significant amount of time and work to one particular cause that i believe strongly in. I'm comfortable with my lot in life, and in my own way, i've tried to make my environment and the people in my life a better experience.

All i protested against, was some reporter thinking Robert Redford's opinion was worth publishing, and then someone else thought his opinions on crap were worth discussing on a discussion board.

Robert Redford's opinion isn't worth more than yours or mine. What if some dude published Arnold Schwarznegger's opinion? He's contributed to a bunch of money to worthy causes, and he's actually been accountable to voters in his life. Is his opinion worth such idolization and discussion? Maybe it'll be Bruce Willis next time, or Jon Voight, or some other person's who's beliefs we all find repugnant.

Our society's fixation on movie stars, and hollywood and shit that doesn't matter is unhealthy.

[lunatica]

72. I rest my case

You will insist on having the last vitriolic word, so go for it.

[JustAnotherGen]

44. Read it and commented on it at the article last week

He really nailed it.

Kick and Rec

[Enthusiast]

46. K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations!

I made it 160.

[Overseas]

48. K&R. Yes please!

[tclambert]

50. Denying trial, counsel, and torturing people clearly violate the 5th, 6th, and 8th amendments.

The 5th amendment twice says "person." It does not make exceptions for non-citizens, POWs, suspected terrorists, nor "enemy combatants," nor any other deceptive label placed on them. Because America is better than that.

[libodem]

52. .

Nuremberg.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

55. Actually, I'd love to see the trial televised. Not just Cheney but all the participants.

"Befehl ist Befehl" ("orders are orders&quot or "Just following orders" doesn't sell with me.

[Jamastiene]

57. He's right too. n/t

[geretogo]

59. Was Pinochet of Chili put on trial or Franco of Spain or Marcos of the Philippines ? Like the saying

goes " he that owns the gold makes the rules " . Cheney and all his kind own most of the country
including the courts , the banks , the media , the House and Senate and the means of production .
In short FASCISM .

[grahamhgreen]

64. I think Pinochet died facing prosecution.

[colsohlibgal]

66. I'm With You 100% Robert

If we don't blow up the world Cheney will not fare well historically down the road. The Iraq war will be seen for what it was - a willingness to have US soldiers killed and maimed for Oil and riches for his buddies. He should have already been sent to prison - and he would have been arrested had he gone to many places over seas.

Bush was a dimwit easily manipulated by this evil man.

[billhicks76]

68. Cheney Is A Satanist

William Colby the exCIA director said it himself in the forward to The Franklin Cover-Up. It scared him. Read it yourself.

[1step]

73. REC

And I don't mean the horror movie!