Thu Sep 11 07:59:47 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewrite as a news article:
**Summary:**
A former Guantanamo Bay prisoner argues against the prevailing “Never Forget, Never Forgive” sentiment, particularly in the context of the 24th anniversary of 9/11. He contends that demanding forgiveness from the victims of the “War on Terror” before justice, accountability, and reparations have been served is a form of oppression. He highlights the millions impacted by U.S. actions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere, emphasizing that forgiveness cannot be a purely personal act when the scale of harm is so vast. He criticizes the moral double standard where the actions of the U.S. are often justified, while survivors who refuse to forgive are vilified. He argues that true forgiveness is inextricably linked to justice and that insisting on forgiveness without justice serves only to comfort the guilty and erase the suffering of the victimized. He connects the past atrocities of Guantanamo with current events, particularly U.S. support for the Israeli actions in Gaza, implying a continuation of harmful policies.
**News Article:**
**Former Guantanamo Prisoner Challenges “Never Forget, Never Forgive” Sentiment on 9/11 Anniversary**
**[City, State] –** On the 24th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner is challenging the widely held sentiment of “Never Forget, Never Forgive,” arguing that it perpetuates injustice for the millions affected by the U.S.’s “War on Terror.”
In a powerful statement, the former detainee, who spent nearly 15 years in Guantanamo without charge, criticized the pressure placed on victims to forgive before accountability has been established. He stated that forgiveness cannot be individual when the harm extends to tens of millions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and beyond.
“We must consider what those words really mean, especially when they are used as a rallying cry for revenge, retaliation, retribution, or vengeance, rather than as a thoughtful appeal for justice, accountability, and meaningful reflection,” he wrote.
The author argued that demanding forgiveness before justice is a way to erase the suffering of the victims of torture, drone strikes, and other atrocities committed in the name of fighting terror. He highlighted the hypocrisy of a system that frames US actions as necessary while portraying survivors who demand accountability as bitter or vengeful.
“True forgiveness is inseparable from justice. Insisting on forgiveness before justice is not a path to healing; it is a strategy to erase the truth.”
The author connected the past abuses of Guantanamo with the present, drawing parallels to U.S. support for the Israeli military actions in Gaza and suggesting a continuation of the same ethically compromised policies.
“How can we speak of forgiveness when the same imperial power that claimed to be defending the innocent after September 11 now enables and partners in genocide, in the killing of tens of thousands in Gaza?”
The author concluded with a call to remember the atrocities committed and a refusal to forgive until justice is served, emphasizing that “Never forgive. Never forget.”
First Piper 