I want to know what idiotic “senior administration official” made this statement in the context of justifying the new Obama military tribunals:
One of the senior administration officials said that although federal courts bar many kinds of hearsay evidence, “the hearsay rule is not one of those things that is rooted in American values.â€
This is such an incredibly stupid statement I don’t know where to start.  If one were asked to name off a few of the core foundations of the jurisprudence underlying the American justice system, the principles of hearsay rule would be among them, along with the right to face your accuser and trial by jury. It doesn’t get any more American than that. Unless, I suppose, you’re talking about lynching.
James Young
I’m not sure I’d disagree with that statement. It seems to me that the reasons for the hearsay rule are far more prudential than “rooted in American values.” Of course, whenever anyone in this Administration discusses “American values,” one must be immediately suspect.
MB
Perhaps it’s a bit of professional myopia on my part, but I’d place the principles of the American justice system pretty near the core of things when I’m hear the phrase “American values”.
And yes, I agree that anyone using “American values” is often using it as a shorthand for something else. Say, when some try to conflate what their parents told them their imaginary god wants with what is actually good public policy.
James Young
Which “imaginary god” is that? Karl Marx? The Obamessiah?
Peej
You just need to remember that I say Persian values what I really mean is that my imaginary god can beat up your imaginary god.