Most Americans would consider their country the land of the free, home of the brave and the chief exporter of democratic values to the rest of the world.

But a dark shroud of hypocrisy is clouding that ideal.

It’s no secret that military detainees have been stripped of their rights, enduring sexual torture and other inhumane acts.

These 14,000 detainees are kept without charge, without a chance to defend themselves, and often don’t even see the “evidence” against them.

Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) offered to change that, pushing to pass an amendment to detainee legislation that passed Thursday .

The amendment would given detainees the ability to face their charges before a court.

But to most senators, talking about exporting freedom is more important than actually doing it. The amendment was rejected, 51-48.

It is our belief that if a war on terrorism cannot be won using the tried principles and ideals our country was founded upon 230 years ago, then freedom can never really be obtained in our fighting it.

The detainee legislation, which President Bush is expected to sign this week, would prohibit some of the worst abuses of detainees like mutilation and rape, but it would grant the president leeway to decide which other interrogation techniques are permissible.

However, the Bush administration’s opinion on what type of interrogation is deemed appropriate differs from that of human rights advocates.

The next step? Citizens need to show disdain at the hypocrisy our government is displaying, in hopes that the Supreme Court will shut this inhumane and un-American bill down.