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CSU students share views on Guantanamo Bay closure
Virginia Singarayar
Issue date: 1/26/09 Section: Opinion
In one of his first moves as commander-in-chief, President Barack Obama issued an executive order Thursday to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within the next year, and also forbade harsh treatment of suspected terrorists, a move that has been lauded and criticized on both sides of the aisle.
As this move has caused considerable controversy, the Collegian decided to catch up with students on campus to see how they felt about the prison camp's closure.
Ben schrader, President of Fort Collins iraq war veterans against the war:
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the closure of Guantanamo Bay?
A: I definitely agree with the closure. It's a step forward toward showing that we do care about human rights. We're probably going to find a way around it.
Q: Does it make you feel safer or less safe now that it will be closing?
A: Neither really. Guantanamo Bay doesn't really affect my safety. Even though it's closed there are other places across the globe they can ship these terrorists to. Some of the people that have been held there -- it's been total B.S. -- but it doesn't frighten me or scare me or make me feel unsafe at all.
Q: Should confirmed and suspected terrorists have the same rights as everyone else?
A: I think everybody -- if they are tried by our system -- should be given a fair trial, no matter what. I believe that that's the right thing to do.
Q: Do you approve of the use of harsh interrogation techniques against terror suspects?
A: No. It's been proven that it doesn't work because they'll either tell you what they want you to hear, or whatever they think you want them to say.
Q: Are there any circumstances in which you think they are justifiable?
A: I don't believe this is a show of "24." Hopefully our intelligence system is good enough that we can see these things well before they are even coming, and I just don't think it's practical that that situation would ever arise.
As this move has caused considerable controversy, the Collegian decided to catch up with students on campus to see how they felt about the prison camp's closure.
Ben schrader, President of Fort Collins iraq war veterans against the war:
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the closure of Guantanamo Bay?
A: I definitely agree with the closure. It's a step forward toward showing that we do care about human rights. We're probably going to find a way around it.
Q: Does it make you feel safer or less safe now that it will be closing?
A: Neither really. Guantanamo Bay doesn't really affect my safety. Even though it's closed there are other places across the globe they can ship these terrorists to. Some of the people that have been held there -- it's been total B.S. -- but it doesn't frighten me or scare me or make me feel unsafe at all.
Q: Should confirmed and suspected terrorists have the same rights as everyone else?
A: I think everybody -- if they are tried by our system -- should be given a fair trial, no matter what. I believe that that's the right thing to do.
Q: Do you approve of the use of harsh interrogation techniques against terror suspects?
A: No. It's been proven that it doesn't work because they'll either tell you what they want you to hear, or whatever they think you want them to say.
Q: Are there any circumstances in which you think they are justifiable?
A: I don't believe this is a show of "24." Hopefully our intelligence system is good enough that we can see these things well before they are even coming, and I just don't think it's practical that that situation would ever arise.
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