Tainted Legacy: 9/11 and the Ruin of Human Rights [Paperback]

William Schulz (Author)

Book Description

Series: Nation Books | Publication Date: September 29, 2003

Have human rights as we once understood them become obsolete since 9-11? Aren't new methods needed to combat the apocalyptic violence of al-Qaeda? Shouldn't we sacrifice some rights to make us all safer? And if we can kill a combatant in battle, why shouldn't we torture them if it will save lives? William Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, examines these and other fundamental questions through the prism of our new consciousness about terrorism in this provocative new book. It questions America's own ambivalent record—its tainted legacy—and addresses recent human rights violations: the imprisonment without charge of non-citizens and the violation of the Geneva Convention at Guantanamo Bay. Schulz writes, "One of Osama bin Laden's goals is to destroy the solidarity of the international community and undermine the norms and standards that have sustained that community since the end of World War II. The great irony of the post-9/11 world is that, when it comes to human rights, the United States has been doing his work for him."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Abusive interrogations, suspension of habeas corpus, secret tribunals: these are the kinds of human rights violations we associate with totalitarian governments abroad. But, according to Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA, these violations have become common in the U.S. since it began its war on terror. Schulz is supremely well placed to argue for the importance of respecting human rights while we fight terror-indeed, he asserts, respecting human rights "both at home and abroad, actually makes terrorism less likely to succeed." European countries, for instance, have refused to extradite terror suspects to the U.S. because they might face the death penalty here. And what's seen as the violation of the rights of foreign nationals living here creates rage in their home countries, whom the U.S. might later wish to recruit as allies in the war against terror. Offering careful argument based on moral principles, international law and actual case studies, Schulz makes a strong argument for idea that the balance between security and rights ought to be very carefully calibrated.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Readers can be forgiven for thinking: not another post-September 11 book. But this one is definitely worth reading because it focuses on an ever-more touchy issue that has been around since long before the terrorist attacks: the not-so-stellar human rights record of the U.S. government. While he uses post-9/11 events as his jumping-off point, Schulz (executive director of Amnesty International) asks questions that have been asked, with alarming frequency, for a couple of centuries. Are human rights fundamental in all circumstances, or are they malleable, shifting with the political winds? Even assuming President Bush's "War on Terrorism" to be a valid enterprise--something the author vigorously debates--is a state of war sufficient justification for suspending basic rights and freedoms? Does a state of war justify, for example, treating people who travel as though they are, almost by definition, suspected terrorists? A mixture of philosophical argument and anecdote (the book is full of apparent abuses of authority), this is one post-9/11 book with themes that are truly timeless. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Nation Books (September 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560254890
• ISBN-13: 978-1560254898
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Law > Constitutional Law > Human Rights

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Challenging, January 14, 2004

By 

"ametrandem" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tainted Legacy: 9/11 and the Ruin of Human Rights (Paperback)

Looking beyond the moral rhetoric of the Bush administration and its war against terrorism, Tainted Legacy examines how human rights have become expendable in the interests of national security and how this in turn has tainted the credibility and legitimacy of the international human rights regime. William Schulz challenges the contradictions of past and present US foreign policy by tracing different times when the US has betrayed its most fundamental values for short term interests and how this has provoked more anti-American sediment and distrust for US policies throughout the world. At the same time, he condemns the US government's disregard for human rights here at home, by looking at the secret detention and abuse that over a thousand Muslim immigrants endured in the days that followed 9/11. It is through these examples, that Schulz challenges the US to make its war on terrorism coincide with policies that are consistent with human rights, so that the US does not end up fueling more hatred into a new generation of terrorists and taint human rights further. In conclusion, Tainted Legacy gives a provocative look at the importance of human rights in eliminating terror and oppression throughout the world and is highly recommended for anyone interested in exploring alternative ways to build a more peaceful world.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and Insightful, October 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Tainted Legacy: 9/11 and the Ruin of Human Rights (Paperback)

If you're wondering about how the war on terror is affecting US policy and human rights around the world - then you need to read this book. It is an interesting read that offers important, well thought out arguments, as well engaging stories and surprising statistics. The author of the book is the Executive Director of Amnesty International and his skill at telling engaging stories, which seem to be attributed to his many diverse experiences, is clearly evident in Tainted Legacy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Security at what cost?, February 12, 2009

By 

Louis Gedo (Flushing, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tainted Legacy: 9/11 and the Ruin of Human Rights (Paperback)

I hold both conservative and liberal views, depending on what area of interest is being addressed.

What I do very much appreciate is an author whom is objective, fair, authoratative, and is not afraid to be critical when needed. Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA, is such an author. His writing in this worthwhile book include thought provoking arguments questioning the cost (and I don't mean just financial) of a nation's security. It's a book that you may not easily put down once you open the pages to begin reading.