FTS Staff Opinion
Among his first actions as President last week, Barack Obama ordered the Guantanamo Bay prison to be closed within the year with all detainees relocated. Normally, this would be a minor blip on the radar screens of most Coloradans, but Gov. Bill Ritter has announced his support to move detainees to the ADX supermax prison in Florence, sparking controversy among residents and lawmakers alike.
The initial knee-jerk reaction to oppose Ritter's proposal makes sense; who wants a bunch of suspected terrorists in our state? Resistance has been expressed by some of our state's brightest political stars, including state Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, who referred to Ritter's suggestion as "welcoming a pipeline of enemy combatants into Colorado."
And Ritter's support for this idea may just be a political stunt to put him in Obama's good graces. But he's really got us thinking about this and a closer look reveals that ADX may actually be the safest and most logical choice as a new home for the detainees. As Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer told The Denver Post, "Supermax was built to handle exactly this type of inmate."
Approximately 250 prisoners suspected of ties to terrorism are currently housed at Guantanamo Bay. Because of ongoing trials and investigations, the prisoners must remain on U.S. soil even after Obama's executive order. The bottom line is that they have to go somewhere.
Currently, Florence is home to the only maximum security prison facility in the nation that is entirely locked down at all hours. Noteworthy detainees include former Nazi leaders, mob bosses, Unibomber Ted Kaczynski, and terrorists with proven ties to the 1993 World Trade Center bombings and September 11th attacks. ADX has a proven successful record at managing the country's most dangerous inmates.
It's easy to protest what goes on at Guantanamo, but when the threat to bring detainees onto our soil becomes real we seem to rethink what we really want. Obama's executive order has been signed and the detainees aren't staying at Guantanamo for more than a year.
Safety is everyone's priority and it just may be that ADX is the top-choice facility to keep Americans safe from Guantanamo detainees, while we continue to investigate and fight terrorism.
Maybe it's time for Coloradoans to buck up and prove to the country we can handle the world's most dangerous men. If we're in a war against terrorism, we should be prepared to do our part.
GOOD RITTERANCE
On February 15th, 2009 mzalia says:
Thanks Colorado. I am happy you have one of the most corrupt governors in America. KEEP HIM, FOREVER. He deserves Barack Obama.
"From the Back of the Bus"
Charles McGee
973.851.2325
Andalusia, Alabama
Actually.... {VB GRIN!}
On January 29th, 2009 ffusmucker says:
I heard an even better proposal recently. Instead of putting these `non-lawful', IE: They *do not* fall under the Geneva Convention's definition of `Enemy Combatants'., `combatants' in a `cadillac' prison why not move them to Alcatraz instead. Not only does it have the enviable reputation of being a non-escapable prison but, it is also right in SanFranNan's backyard where she can go and visit them now and then to tell them that she `feels their pain' just like she does all the other criminals she `feels for' all the time.
It was even pointed out that done right it could still be a `tourist attraction' and help with it's own maintainence. (Double, triple, or even quadruple the `entrance fees' for the various assorted squishy liberal Dhimicrats that will probably flock there to fawn at the feet of these `extra special' prisoners... err... victims of society.)
Just an `Olde Fart's' 2ยข worth. {WICKED/EVIL GRIN!}
Fred
Gitmo Prisoners
On January 29th, 2009 freedom lover says:
Has gov. Ritter ever heard of the concept of UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES? Why should we provide more crazy radicals with a target called Colorado with acts of terror we can only imagine. The whole concept of closing GITMO is without merrit. These radicals live in near like "Hilton" conditions as it is - why transfer them to ANY State in America???
Gitmo Prisoners
On January 27th, 2009 joanbob mounteer says:
The Geneva Convention prohibits placing enemy combatants into State or Federal prison facilities or mixing them with prisoners convicted of criminal offenses. Why should Colorado accept them? It makes Colorado a target. We would be inviting another Beslan-like incident right here in one of our cities. A very bad idea indeed.
Gitmo prisoners
On January 27th, 2009 dgpgrove says:
No other country in the world will take them, why should Colorado? The gov is an idiot and proves it more and more every day. We should start calling him Governor William LePetomane (from Blazing Saddles)