This legislation is disgusting. Flat out wrong, period, and our legislators should be ashamed for passing this bill, especially when the jury seems to be out as to what exactly is in it. I'm glad all representatives of Maryland voted against this bill, including Republicans Roscoe Bartlett (a Peak Oil Activist) & Wayne Gilchrest (a Vietnam Veteran).

A friend of mine wrote a letter to the Baltimore Sun, which they published. Though he and I tend to reside on opposite sides of the political fence, I agree with him completely:

Reverence for life makes us different
In his attempt to whitewash his administration's shameful record of blatant Geneva Conventions violations through proposed legislation, President Bush seems to miss a very fundamental truth ("Bill could thwart detainee abuse trials," Sept. 17).

In proposing that America should permit evidence gained through coercion to be used to convict terror suspects and deny accused individuals the right to see the evidence that may be used to convict them, the Bush administration blurs the line that is supposed to divide our just and good country from rogue states that have no regard for human rights.

As Americans, we do not do what is right because it is convenient; we do what is right because it is our moral obligation. We must also do what is right and obey the Geneva guidelines in order to protect our troops, who could be subject to reciprocal abuses at the hands of their captors if we don't respect the rules.

Although he claims his favorite philosopher is Jesus, the president seems to have forgotten the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Our respect for life should be what separates us from our enemies.