The failure of many in the US antiwar movement to fight anti-Arab/anti-Muslim racism is often rooted in conscious or unconscious acceptance of two interconnected racist ideologies—Islamophobia and Zionism. A good example of this is the anti-war movement’s wary response to Hamas’ overwhelming victory in this year’s Palestinian legislative elections.

It is hard to make habeas corpus sound sexy. Consequently, it is perhaps the most important legal tool that no one knows about, and the Bush Administration is busy ensuring that fewer and fewer people will be able to use it.

Shorthand for the fancy Latin phrase “habeas corpus ad subjiciendum,” habeas corpus means to “hold the body to be subjected to examination”—or that one has the right to contest their detention if held by authorities. It has been around since the Magna Carta and has been used to challenge detention by everyone from public defenders to lawyers representing protestors at the 2004 Republication National Convention.

Much has been made in the past few weeks about Amnesty International’s (AI) use of the word “Gulag” in referring to the detention facilities at the US Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where approximately 520 detainees from 35 countries are being held indefinitely, the vast majority without charge. General Meyers called it irresponsible. Secretary Rumsfeld called it reprehensible. Vice President Cheney said he was offended and did not take the report seriously. President Bush said it was absurd.