From the H&R

Obama adopts Bush policy of abusing detainees

"Detention during wartime is not criminal punishment and therefore does not require that individuals be charged or tried in a court of law. Department of Defense policy is and always has been to treat detainees humanely. There have been well documented instances where that policy was not followed and service members have been held accountable for their actions."

So goes a U.S. Defense Department statement given to BBC News regarding accusations that the Obama administration's not so secret prison in Bagram Airport in Afghanistan is treating detainees the same as the Bush Administration treated detainees at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay.

Two things disgust me about this statement. First, I am deeply saddened that Obama is now following in the footsteps of his predecessor. The civil rights record of the Obama administration will now be equal to that of the Bush administration. It turns out that the man who promised change we can believe in is just like everyone else in U.S. politics: a man who would say anything to get elected and then would do what he damn well pleases, even if it is against the law.

The second thing that disgusts me is that the statement indicates that the service members who violated the rights of the detainees have been held accountable for their actions. In other words, let those who do the grunt work get arrested and imprisoned, but let those who wrote the policies demanding that people be tortured go free. Those in power are untouchable.

I voted for President Obama in November. I will not vote for him again.

Anthony Perry

Decatur

Put clothes in proper place for thrift stores

During the past several years, I have seen people put their clothes in the dropoff sites for the thrift stores.

The problem is.;that they are not putting the clothes where they should. Clothes are being placed on the ground, and when it rains, it allows them to mildew. The clothes.;aren't bought because they do not look good.

Citizens of Macon County, we need to help the less fortunate, and it is not satisfactory to give them ruined clothes.

Andrew John Wilson III

Decatur