Passive

Omar Khadr's lawyer came to our school today to discuss his client. Khadr has been detained at Gitmo for the past six years. He has suffered unspeakable abuse at the hands of his captors, the U.S. government. Dennis Edney stood before us with conviction, telling us that despite his best efforts to secure Khadr's release, he will most likely be found guilty in the monkey military tribunal the Bush Administration is pushing through before the federal election. Edney radiated emotion when he declared he could not even get Khadr a pair of glasses to protect his only good eye (Khadr must sleep under florescent lights that burn 24/7 and damage his retna). It took years to have his status as Khadr's lawyer recognized and years more to get a first meeting with his client. Edney's letters to Khadr are intercepted.

The U.S. will get away breaking the Geneva Convention, flouting human rights, ignoring international law on the rights of the child (Khadr was a child soldier at the time of his capture.) Edney told us the truth, that there is little he can do for his client The judge assigned to the preliminary case was dropped when he refused to instantly find Khadr guilty. He was replaced with someone who doesn't share the burden of conscience.

The U.S. can do all this because no one will stop them--Canada least of all. Edney explained that, like him, it is up to us, the individuals, to make change when governments won't. As future lawyers, it is our duty to engage in pro bono work as often as needed. Edney's case--an internationally recognized detainee issue which logically should be funded by some agency or group like Amnesty--has been entirely from his own pockets and those of his legal partner's. No one has helped him. He continues because, as he mentioned so many times throughout the 1 1/2 hours he spoke, the cause is just.

I was struck by the hopeless situation Kadr faces at so young an age. After 6 years of sensory deprivation, solitary confinement, forced labour when wounded, lack of pain meds, dogs snapping at his hooked head, being forced to mop up his urine using his hair after standing handcuffed to a door frame for hours, he is in for a lifetime more. Khadr doesn't matter, only the Bush propaganda machine matters.

I was also struck by the integrity of Mr. Edney standing before us. He has children at home, as does his legal partner. They both sacrificed years of their lives and legal services--for free--to try to help Khadr simply because it was the right thing to do. All of the frustrations I have had with the Bush Administration he has witnessed firsthand and yet he doesn't give up.

I want to follow his example and give up things that I treasure in order to gain things I treasure more, like democracy and a fair trial. I am grateful for the opportunity to meet such a man.