President Carter: "The Bush administration has violated Americans' basic human rights"

[kpete]

Carter chides Bush on secrecy in govt.

Carter Criticizes Bush Admin. Over Secrecy, Says More Information Can Change 'Entire Society'

DORIE TURNER
AP News

Feb 27, 2008 17:01 EST

The Bush administration has violated Americans' basic human rights by blocking access to information and creating more government secrets than at any other time in U.S. history, former President Carter said Wednesday.

Carter made the remarks at the start of a three-day conference aimed at helping other countries develop "access to information" laws, drawing participants from nearly 40 nations.

To applause, Carter said he looks forward to more freedom after a new U.S. administration takes office in January.

The Atlanta-based Carter Center has been working to help other countries with right-to-information laws since 1999, when it piloted a program in Jamaica. At that time only a handful of countries had such laws.


more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Carter_chides_Bush_on_secrecy_in_go_02272008.html

[malaise]

1. Bravo Jimmy Carter

:yourock:

[Wizard777]

2. "My Government" George Bush

It's no longer Washington DC. It's now Washington BC Inc. That's Washington Bush Cheney Incorporated. It must be hell having all these public entities trying to delve into their private business. That's as in none of our business.

[Bobbieo]

3. Every day Bush and his minions take away more of our freedoms

and no one can to stop them. Right now, he is a virtual dictator!!!

[FiveGoodMen]

4. Because of the traitors in Congress, the press, and the public

If a reasonable number of Americans gave a shit, BushCo would never have gotten this far.

I say this, because I'm still not convinced that Americans get it now. They're upset about the economy and maybe wish we were out of Iraq, but very few seem to realize that our government was hijacked.

[bonito]

5. I agree, but by now many see just what they have done

And the details don't matter for those that were/are blind.

[Laelth]

6. k&r for JC

a true patriot.

:patriot:

-Laelth

[bdamomma]

7. Bravo President Carter

and please do not apologize for what you are saying either.

[malaise]

8. Adding this link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2934290

[Judi Lynn]

9. Not a minute too soon, either. Bravo, President Carter.

More from the article:

Today, nearly 70 nations have laws granting the public access to government information.

"Powerful leaders in order to stay in office deprive their citizens of a right to know," Carter said. "Access to information can change the landscape of an entire society."

It's believed to be the first conference on helping countries develop the right to information laws, the center said.

Any government that denies its citizens the right to information will ultimately fail because a lack of trust fosters hard feelings, uprisings and coups, he said.

Also published at:
http://www.newsobserver.com/1573/story/968554.html