The Road to Guantanamo Review
It’s hard to REALLY feel the pain and sufferring that innocent people have endured in torture camps, wether it be [[Auschwitz]], Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay. Opression is opression, and no person deserves to be brutalized mentally or physically… especially when they havent been given any due process. When you watch the film “The Road to Guantanamo” you can’t help but wonder how these kids had so many close calls where they could have been killed before they even made it to Camp X-ray. My sister did her thesis on the legitimacy of the captured individuals being given the status of “enemy combatants” and if that really is enough to evade international standards of the treatment which is to be given to prisoners. After re-reading her paper for her a few times I got to thinking how in the world can we just sit here and discuss these riddiculous claims which implies that we are above all laws, because we are strong enough to break all of them and no one can take us into account. Our rationale as a country is based on arrogance, stubborness, and a dash of racism and religious intolerance.
The [[Tipton Three]] are the focus of this film. The film is mainly based on their account and is accompanied by their on camera narrative, although their parts are played out by actors. Their story overall matches well with what their written accounts have been. Although there are some discreprencies for example in their written accounts they talk about being given injections whose contents were never shared with them. This is not shown in the movie at all. The level of sexual harassment is almost downplayed in this movie while accounts from other Britons say that prostitutes would be bought into the cells of pious younger males in order to crack their faith. That isn’t mentioned in the film. Although they show a brief scene where one of the three is being interrogated and is given a dirty magazine which he chucks and then is riddiculed for his action.
The most touching part of the film for me was seeing them make prayer in Jamaat (collective prayer) from their cells which were pretty spread out. After seeing guards try to discourage people from practicing thier religion, even those who were irrelegious started to gravitate towards a more spiritual mindset. That is an amazing thing, after all the unfounded abuse and punishment faith is what allows them to go on. On a television interview I saw the three explaining that they would see people go insane, and would think I can’t let them get to me, I can’t let myself go crazy. I mean what else would happen when people would be hog tied and put into a chamber which music would be blasted on a level beyond what the ear drums can bare for 1-5 hours. Or when a group of Guards would storm in wearing Riot gear and pounce on someone who in in an anorexic like state.
Alot of Muslims are amazed that these guys are actually being able to tell their story through a full length theatrical film. I think everyone needs to see this. This film gives a human face to these so called “[[enemy combatants]]” especially ones who clearly were not even fighters. Even those who were fighting, do they deserve the type of abuse they have received? These three lost 3 years of their lives. All for what? Going off into a foreign country to explore what was out there. As one of the tipton three said.. he doesn’t regret that this happened because this experience has made him a better, stronger person. I feel ashamed at not having been able to shed a tear after watching this film twice.
You can’t help but wonder what you would do if you were in their shoes. They were really smart to admit to things which were IMPOSSIBLE for them to do (which could be proven otherwise). I believe the fact that they were British really helped them alot because if they were American theres no way that anyone would have tried to find out if these guys were innocent or not. They would have been quickly chalked up as another victory in the war on terror, and the media spin applied to a government announcement today is almost irreversible.
If you can’t find a theater playing this film, make sure to get the DVD when it comes out. Btw the MPAA banned the poster above. Make sure to download it from the official site and post it on your blogs.
Relevant Links: Official Site | Google Video Trailer | Denounce Torture Action Guide by Amnesty International
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