photo by dr. fil, Paris

Today, Slovene parliamentarians will discuss the possibility of taking in Guantanamo detainees for the first time. I use plural though it is unclear whether the US will request the country to help with one or more of these prisoners. Presenting the case is the twitting Minister Samuel Žbogar.

There is no such thing as an easy, clear-cut position on this issue. Or so it seems. Slovenes are mighty aloof when it comes to looking down on the US for various reasons, most recently including the Iraq war, the weapons of mass destruction buzzword and more. Some like to paint the Americans all-about-the-profit child slayers with others nodding quietly. On the inside, I am sure. Which does not prevent them from crying for help or downright demanding it when freedom and democracy in the areas of their interest are concerned. The evil world cop wannabes can turn incredibly quickly into into the only force strong enough to intervene and therefore carrying a moral duty to do so.

Guantanamo has been and remains one of the low points, black marks in the recent history of the American nation. Some people seem to feel close to orgasmic joy using it to demonstrate the USA’s moral inferiority. Which is why some responses in recent debates honestly surprise me. Ok. It is inconceivable that the US detained people without trial. It is a crime against humanity to keep “prisoner” these people whose guilt cannot be proven in any way that would hold up in court . But once a thought is given to these “never-proven-guilty” people being sent to Slovenia to start living a better life after years of hell, they are “dangerous”, “probably criminals”, “a threat to national security”. My oh my, how a bit of perspective changes the strongest of positions.

So let me get this straight. The Guantanamo detainees that would be sent to Slovenia have never committed a crime as far as it can be proven. They speak a different language, they come from a different culture, they pray to a different God, but have not, as far as it can be substantiated, committed any crime whatsoever. Methinks they are rather lucky not to have been hung on crosses.

True Christians don’t get to cherry-pick. But I guess you know that already, it may just sound strange coming from somebody who’s not a member of your club. To set the record straight, I have great respect for Christianity. Not necessarily so for its Churches. So I can say in all honesty and with no malice that to an outsider it would seen very Christian-like to remind your elected representatives of the spirit of Chistianity. The love for all people, not the love for a certain group of people who fit an unwritten or rather often rewritten bill.

But if after giving all of this a good thought and doing some deep soul searching, you still believe Slovenia should turn these people away, that’s of course absolutely fine. You have every right to your own opinion. Just goes to prove that this is, indeed, a free country. But don’t, I repeat, do not get all morally superior on the rest of us the next time it fits the agenda.