Well, no surprise, Osama bin Laden’s unfortunate chauffeur has been convicted for “supporting terrorism.” And even though the judge called him a “minor player” and refused to allow testimony about digging bodies out from beneath the fallen World Trade Towers, this man was sentenced to life in prison.  !!Edit:

Apparently the first word out of life in prison was incorrect.  I got the DOD letter on his actual sentencing today, August 7th—thus I quote:

“A military panel has sentenced Salim Ahmed Hamdan of Yemen to 66 months of confinement for providing material support to terrorism by a military commission under the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The sentence includes a 61 month and eight day credit ordered by the military judge, Navy Capt. Keith Allred. Hamdan will serve his sentence to confinement separate from the other detainees at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

            Hamdan’s conviction and sentencing at trial is one step in the military commission process. Now that the trial is complete his case will receive an automatic review by the convening authority, who will evaluate the legal sufficiency of the findings and appropriateness of the sentence. Hamdan will still be represented by counsel and have the opportunity to submit matters for consideration on his behalf. Then his case will receive an automatic review by the Court of Military Commission Review. Thereafter, he could appeal to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the Supreme Court.”

I will note, that does not necessarily say he will be released when his 5+ years are done.  Now…back to my original rant:

For driving. For driving the car of a man America’s leaders are pissed off at….one they apparently cannot catch. If we get pissed off at Russia and Putin’s old driver visits Disney Land, are we going to scoop him up and convict him, too? Or, perhaps, since he would be a white man, we might just let it go? I think America figures this poor little bastard is just a “raghead” so it doesn’t matter.

I really do hope that American Moslems, whether of Middle Eastern descent or not, notice this and take pre-cautionary measures in their lives. I fear for an America who does this sort of thing. I’ve been living with this fear for a good while, and this does not comfort me that they didn’t convict him of worse charges. It frightens and angers me that they convicted him at all.

What else is “supporting terrorism” I wonder; if driving some guy around is good enough for life in jail? Writing anti-Bush blogs—is that supporting terrorism?

Bitching about the financial costs of war while American infrastructure crumbles—is that supporting terrorism?

Saying that Dick Cheney is a thug with no respect for the law—is that supporting terrorism?

Saying the Bush White House is assisting corporate looting of the American treasury—is that supporting terrorism?

Bitching about the loss of American lives for oil company profits—-is that supporting terrorism? Complaining about the “patriots” at KBR, who banned cellphones so their female employees can’t report rape—is that supporting terrorism?

Bitching that the Army doesn’t really investigate or prosecute rapists in their ranks—is that supporting terrorism?

Griping about telecoms who tell the government anything they want to know about my phone and computer lines—is that supporting terrorism?

Asking why we need to drill for oil in Alaska when oil companies already have untouched oil leases elsewhere—is that supporting terrorism?

Asking why our gas prices keep rising while oil companies make ever more huge record profits—is that supporting terrorism?

Asking why the electronic voting machines are made by companies near and dear to the Bush family and GOP machine—is that supporting terrorism?

Asking why the EPA has been gutted, OSHA rules ignored, and scientists silenced about the environment while big corporations profit—is that supporting terrorism?

Gee…..we will need a whole new Underground Railroad if this shit continues. No matter what color skin one has, or what religion one follows or does not…when dissent is the enemy and the laws are ignored, we are all at risk.