We're Americans. We Hold Ourselves to a Higher Standard.

Last Sunday, 60 Minutes aired an update to its story on Joe Darby, the Abu Ghraib whistleblower. I hadn't been familiar with Darby's role in the scandal at the infamous prison, and the mortal danger he placed himself in just by doing the right thing.

He and his wife were forced to move from their hometown of Cumberland, MD, to an anonymous location because fellow soldiers, angry neighbors, former friends, and even some of the Darbys' own relatives might seek revenge.

Critics call him a "rat" and "traitor" for supposedly placing the welfare of "the enemy" before U.S. soldiers. They are idiots. What Darby did was place respect for the rule of law first, as it should be according to our country's principles. For those whom that's too abstract an idea, Darby explains his actions in a simple way that makes me really admire and respect him. "We're Americans," he says, "...we hold ourselves to a higher standard."

The idea that the U.S. is special for just that reason, because we expect a higher standard than merely what is convenient, is one that I have always cherished. It's what makes us the "good guys" and separates us from Putin's Russia or communist China. And it's why the U.S., since World War II, has been looked upon as a leader by the rest of the world.



Given the status of the Iraq war and other developments around the world, many people are arguing that the U.S. has lost its preeminent moral standing in the world. Such a claim belies the high esteem the American people are held in throughout most of the world, as well as the positive agendas our government is involved with (for example, democracy promotion, foreign aid, and the Bush admin's commendable effort to fight AIDS and malaria in Africa).

The major blemish currently on our record involves the Bush administration's handling of terrorism suspects outside of a traditional legal framework. At the least, it is burdensome negative PR and phrases like "waterboarding" and "extraordinary rendition" are awkward additions to the American idea of justice. Gitmo's defenders (see also) are somewhat convincing at making a technical argument for the legality of indefinte detainment and military commissions. I doubt that anyone wants to say much about the proliferation of CIA dark sites though. One can only hope that these are relics of a temporary and uncertain era, and the sooner that we can commit them to history's scrap heap, the better.

Which brings me back to Joe Darby's idea of the United States. We're not perfect. We did have slavery, Jim Crow, the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, and other problems that persist today. But while America in practice has its blemishes, I'm proud that over the long run we always seem to be moving more toward America the ideal, a place where we set higher standards and serve as a great example of human potential.

On Global Warming, Let Cooler Heads Prevail

NASA Chief Michael Griffin apologized today for his controversial remarks last week when he said in a radio interview: "I have no doubt that ... a trend of global warming exists. [But] I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with.”

Though he realized belatedly the minefield he was walking into, I have news for Griffin: I agree with you. I like to think I'm not an anti-science Luddite, so I hope you believe me when I say my beef with the global warming alarmists is about how climate science has been interpreted in the public dialogue.

Griffin was spot on when he said today about the global warming debate "unfortunately, this is an issue which has become far more political than technical." Given the poor level of insight that most politicians (and indeed, the public as well) have about climate science, I am extremely wary about the productivity of a political situation.

After all, it seems like "global warming" to most people means something bad that happens from buying Hummers and voting Republican--and if neither bad habit is curtailed within the next few years, we're all going to die. News flash, people: a warm weekend in January 2007 isn't a doomsday symbol, it's an "anomaly", i.e. a good day to have a picnic outdoors.

While we're in a period of warming right now (which, for the past 40 years or so has been fueled by greenhouse gas emissions), I don't want to hear anyone breathlessly exclaim how this year is hotter than last year or five years ago--that is statistically irrelevant.

Some obvious facts are too often overlooked. How many people know that global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer are two entirely separate issues? Or that the Earth has experienced warming and cooling in the past, cyclically and over long periods of time (hundreds of thousands of years)?

So yes, global warming exists. We should be working to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, for both environmental and geopolitical reasons. But that doesn't mean succumbing to the hysteria that has enveloped the global warming debate. Our planet is a strong and fascinatingly complex system, and it is not one so unstable that anything we do in the near-future is going to have a permanent, "tipping point" effect.

Whatever needs to be done to adequately address global warming (and I don't think that entails anything drastic), I don't want to see economically unfeasible pipe dreams pursued, or worse yet, see Sheryl Crow's "one square of toilet paper" rule enacted.

My sentiments may come as an inconvenient truth to some political agendas, but I think the use of scare tactics with regards to global warming is disingenuous and ultimately unhelpful.

Graphic: Neatorama.com

Check Out the View

This week, Google introduced its new "Street View" feature, built into the Google Maps website. So now, in addition to the overhead satellite imagery of an area, you can get a ground-level perspective on things.

"The Street View vista appears in a little frame over the standard Google Map view. You can pan around the view or zoom in just by scrolling or double-clicking. Then, wander through the city by clicking the arrow icons that float over each street."

This is a pretty cool feature that I can see being especially useful for looking up directions to a destination. The view from the sidewalk is a lot easier to navigate from than a bird's-eye view.

Of course, you have to wonder what developments lie ahead for this kind of technology, which is sure to come to your cellphone or GPS device within months. Given that so many people use this feature for navigating, I suppose it's only a matter of time before the "Street View" offered is a live camera feed.

That'd be great for giving you a heads-up about traffic, but in providing an instantly accessible camera on potentially every street corner, you have to worry about privacy concerns. Already, several websites have posted pictures from "Street View" showing a man outside an adult bookstore, women sunbathing, and more.

Public privacy has been steadily shrinking for years as technology has gotten more advanced. But it isn't Big Brother who's been pushing to keep an eye on all of us--we've done that to each other. That distinction is of no comfort to me, but I guess we'll all just have to get used to it.

So smile, you could be on candid camera!