The Best VIrginia Can Come Up With?

(Jump direct to quick links: VA members of Congress on Guantanamo.)

When I think of Virginia, I think of the commanding view of the countryside from the front lawn of Jefferson's home, Monticello.


And I think of the lawn at UVA, where everyone addresses everyone else as "Mister," in nod to Jeffersonian mores.


And I think of the word "perspicacity" -- the lucidity of the Virginian tradition into human affairs.


It is thus perplexing to me that the best that Virginia can come up with is statements like these:

Congressman Robert Wittman (R, 1st) has said, "I remain steadfastly opposed to placing terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay into this community [i.e. the Naval Station at Norfolk and/or Federal District Court House in Newport News] or anywhere else in Virginia." (more by Congressman Wittman on Guantanamo)

Congressman Frank Wolf (R, 10th) has said, ""I do not - and would not - support allowing any prisoners presently being detained at Guantanamo Bay being transferred to any facilities in Virginia . . . That is a non-starter and isn’t open to discussion." (more by Congressman Wolf on Guantanamo)

Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R, 4th) has said transferring detainees to the United States amounts to "placing a target on our backs right here in our own communities." (more by Congressman Forbes on Guantanamo)

Congressman Eric Cantor (R, 7th, and House Whip) has said, "Simply put, closing Guantanamo Bay is too complex an issue to rush to resolution in order to appease those outside the mainstream. At the end of the day, when it comes to terrorism, no detail is too small, and we must have only one priority - the safety and security of the American people." (more by Congressman Cantor on Guantanamo)

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R, 6th) has said, "This move will expose U.S. citizens and the intelligence community to unnecessary risks, will hinder our efforts to combat terrorism, and will grant terrorists access to protections that were never intended for such war enemies." (more by Congressman Goodlatte on Guantanamo)

Information on how to contact your representative, and on their Guantanamo positions, is shown below.

(Don't know who your representative is? Look him/her up by zip code here.)

(Don't know how what to say? Suggestions for getting started here.)

Boucher, Rick	D	9th	Contact
Cantor, Eric	R	7th	Contact	On Gitmo	above
Connolly, Gerald E.	D	11th	Contact
Forbes, J. Randy	R	4th	Contact	On Gitmo	above
Goodlatte, Bob	R	6th	Contact	On Gitmo	above
Moran, James P.	D	8th	Contact	On Gitmo	above
Nye, Glenn C.	D	2nd	Contact
Perriello, Thomas S. P.	D	5th	Contact
Scott, Robert C. ``Bobby''	D	3rd	Contact
Wittman, Robert J.	R	1st	Contact	On Gitmo	above
Wolf, Frank R.	R	10th	Contact	On Gitmo	above