Sen. Feinstein appeared on FoxNews Sunday. And why not? They’re fair AND balanced! (h/t Andrew Malcolm)
Anyway, the topic of Guantanamo came up, and DiFi reacts in, well a sane and rational way. When asked by Chris Wallace whether she would be willing to have Gitmo detainees in federal prisons in California, she says yes. Noting that the prisons are virtually un-escapable at their super-max level of security. They cannot escape to wreak havoc on the general population. And frankly, would a Gitmo detainee really have much interest in launching a solo attack on some random rural general store?
Sen. Bond’s reaction is one of simple fear. “We don’t want them in Missouri,” he says. “They will recruit from the general prison population.”
Two responses: go to a super-max prison and check it out and then ask how terrorists are viewed in prisons. Not particularly popular.
But, there’s fear to be sold here, no point checking the facts when he can simply play to the basest emotions. Kudos to Sen. Feinstein for answering succinctly and honestly while presenting a snapshot of the situation as it exists in the real world.
I have not had too many good things to say about DiFi recently, but I appreciate her good sense on the Gitmo prisoners. If you listen to the fear in many political voices, you would think that the prisoners are going to be locked up in High school detention halls. We have plenty of security in our prisons (we are quite good at that) and have no more to fear from them than any other prisoner. I am more concerned about the recruitment of drug dealers than I am of terrorists.