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The Washington Post and News 8 are running a story that speculates that the Obama administration will move Gitmo detainees to the Alexandria, VA.  The Mayor of Alexandria, William D. Euille (D), had this to say:

We would be absolutely opposed to relocating Guantanamo prisoners to Alexandria.  We would do everything in our power to lobby the president, the governor, the Congress and everyone else to stop it. We’ve had this experience, and it was unpleasant. Let someone else have it.

Mayor Euille, you are the worst kind of hypocrite.  People have protested Gitmo and wanted it closed during the Bush administration.  Now that some of those “innocent” people are going to be released, they don’t want them there!

This is similar to a story that I heard about a year ago.  Montgomery county in Maryland said that they would not help Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown on laborers.  But the largely liberal community cried out when these laborers started loitering around their neighborhood.

This goes to show that liberals only care about justice when it’s cool and hip.  If you truly believe that these wrongly held citizens are innocent, why not invite them with open arms?

I’ll be the first to say welcome!  Here’s my letter to Major Euille:

Mayor Euille:

I am shocked by the comments you made regarding the possible relocation of Guantanamo detainees to Alexandria.  Many of your constituents have demanded their release from the prison.  Many of these same constituents wanted to end the war in Iraq.  I personally don’t take these positions but I find it highly hypocritical that you would not welcome these detainees with open arms.

Per our constitution, all of these detainees are INNOCENT until proven guilty.  With the new president, he is listening to the people and is releasing them.  It’s not right for these same people to now complain when they are being released into their back yard.  Alexandria, who voted President Obama in with a sweeping majority, should now embrace these detainees.  After all, they haven’t even been charged with a crime.

I expect more from a leader such as yourself.

Sincerely,

Michael Soh

UPDATE :: 31 March 2009 10:00 am

Mayor Euille did me the courtous thing and replied to me.  But it confuses more than it answers.  I guess if he couldn’t do that he wouldn’t be in politics:

Dear Mr. Soh:

Thank you for your email. I appreciate your taking the time to let me know your concerns about the disposition of the Guantanamo detainees. While I support the closing of this facility and giving the detainees a fair trial, I believe that Alexandria has already done its fair share by handling for more than four years the Missaoui trial.

William D. Euille
Mayor

For those that don’t know, Missaoui, a Gitmo detainee was tried in the federal court located in Alexandria.  Of course, there were protests and the like.  The security alone cost an arm and a leg.  However, a democratic society has the duty to administer justice, right?  Well, apparently, Mayor Euille doesn’t believe in justice.  He believes in convienence.  Here is my reply to him:

Mayor Euille

I appreciate your reply. However, I’m confused by your last sentence of your e-mail. If you support giving the detainees a fair trail, why should it matter how many detainees are tried? Does this mean that you don’t support exonerating wrongly convicted prisoners?

It seems that there is a double standard. I believe that as a democracy, we should give these detainees the benefit of the doubt and support them as a community. They have yet to be proven of any wrong doing. I think that by saying that “Alexandria has done it’s fair share” you are saying “Let someone else deal with the problem.”  But what problem is that?  Administering justice?  Making sure that a possibly innocent person gets his fair day in court?

The detainees should be treated with respect, and not like garbage that we can simply pass on to someone else. The next city many not be as accommodating as the fair citizens of Alexandria, who support President Obama. I continue to disagree with your position would appreciate a more thorough explanation.

Very respectfully,

Michael Soh