Stewart Takes Down KSM Trial Fearmongerers

"Pretty certain these are points that should be made by someone who is not a comedian."

Well, two problems there -- a) Since 100% of the population of the world are comedians, who would that leave?, and b) Do you think people check their rights as citizens at the door as soon as they start telling jokes? Because if so, why should we listen to you after this stinker?

I would lay a good deal of blame on the poor funding of public education, vanishing civics education, and a lack of a serious media. Also, falling wages have forced people to work more and more, leaving less time to learn about politics.

Politics is after all "the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them"

You have the Maureen Dowds and everybody talking about earth tones and Al Gore's bald spot, Arianna Huffington about 4 button suits, Chris Matthews idolizing W's package, etc when you do try to learn about what is going on in the popular corporate media outlets.

In case you haven't been outside lately, or left a college campus, people in this country aren't exactly STUPID, but they are surely IGNORANT. Just think about a person with average intelligence, an IQ of 100 - for college hopefulls: an SAT of 1000 for old, 1500 for new 3 part, and an ACT of 20. That ain't so hot, and half of all people are less intelligent than that.

Thanks to Ted Kennedy's and George W Bush's NCLB stupidity, our public schools are crappier than ever before.

Why are KSM and the others being granted the same legal standing as a U.S. citizen? This is a new thing, so try to avoid using the "rule of law" arguement. The law never has before.

It's not a new thing at all, fool. The "rule of law" argument is perfectly valid, and the law has functioned just fine before, thank you very much. Google Zacarias Moussaoui sometime. Hint: 20th hijacker. French (i.e. non-US) citizen. Tried in federal court, Eastern District of Virginia. Now serving sentence of life without parole at Federal ADX Supermax prison in Florence, CO. Federal prisoner number 51427-054.

The cons seem to forget all about this guy, and dozens of others (non-US citizens), tried and convicted in federal court, with all due process protections, now locked up in federal supermax facilities. Apparently, so did you.

I do not have a ready definition of an act of war. However, as to your second point, you propose two alternatives. They do not meet the criteria of a legal combatant under the Geneva convention since they don't wear uniforms or fight for a sovereign nation. I personally don't believe they should be extended the extensive legal rights of an American citizen. However, I agree that leaving them in a legal black hole is unacceptable. Congress should create a category for them including legal guidlines for their treatment. Congress is unfortunately filled with gutless coward who, nonetheless understand that this would be a no-win situation since neither the right nor left would be pleased with any solution.