More facts emerged this week about the United States' practice of torture from late 2001 through at least 2006. The facts are ugly. But the new administration has given the world every reason to believe we are done with torture, so does it really matter anymore? Why should we expend time and energy on the past if it's truly not continuing?
I believe there are at least 2 reasons. One reason is that this was kept secret from us. The only parts that were discussed publicly were twists and shades. If the perpetrators of this torture really believed this was not torture and was within moral and legal limits, why was it secret? Some facts are now available to us. I believe we should read it, ask questions if we can, and demand to know what has been done in our names. I believe we should close our eyes and imagine the smell and sounds of the 10 by 13 cell buried under the ground. Imagine a man being picked up by his neck and slammed against the wall. What does that sounds like? Does he yell out or just grunt? See the blue of his skin as he sits naked being doused with cold water, just so he can endure more beating. Imagine the torture of waterboarding.
I struggled against the straps, trying to breathe, but it was hopeless. I thought I was going to die. I lost control of my urine. Since then I still lose control of my urine when under stress.
The facts are available. Where is the outrage? Where is the fucking outrage?!
Is it because the people we were torturing killed us and would like to kill more of us? Is that what makes torture okay? Thoughts like that are exactly why we need facts. It is far too easy for us to justify this outrage when we sit comfortably in home and office, far away from the smells and sounds and blood. It's not us or ours being tortured and it may be us or ours that the torture "saves." Yes, it's hard to declare that you will live without the "benefits" of torture, that you believe the better choice is a life of love.
Every day I have to find the courage
To walk out into the street
With arms out
Another very important reason that we need to find out the facts behind what happened is that this reprieve of torture must withstand the forces that brought about the torture in the first place. I don't know whether you call it irony or ghastly justice, but in the same Sunday New York Times that detailed some of the torture, former Vice President Cheney claimed that the recent decisions to stop violating the US Constitution and international law (not to mention basic human rights) "will, in fact, raise the risk to the American people of another attack." The absolute gall of this position exasperates me. Once again, without proof, Cheney makes the argument that the best way to protect Americans is to violate the Constitution and international law. And even if it were true that torture could prevent attacks (and there is a body of evidence that torture, in fact, does NOT deliver helpful information), fear is again being used to try to convince us that torturing another human being is our best choice. Fear, if we let it, will drive us to fight evil with evil.
I, for one, want to come out from hiding in fear under my bed and stand up against this evil.
8 comments:
I can't get past the language, DVD...
Not exactly the outrage I was looking for...
I understand the safety in your choice. But I certainly hope, away from this, that anyone who would be so put off by an adjective is beating their chest in sorrow over the agony inflicted in their name.
To paraphrase a bumper sticker, "If torture is the answer, What is the question??"
I find it very difficult to believe that as a nation we truly retrieve significant amounts of ACCURATE information by using torture as an interrogation "technique." I would say about anything to keep from undergoing what these people go through.
But even aside from my skepticism as to its "usefulness," I don't think anyone has the right to use my protection (or even the protection of my children) as an excuse to commit unspeakable, not to mention unconstitutional, acts.
Just out of curiosity, if it is too vile to cast ones eyes upon such filthy language, imagine the horror of those who are forced to hear and say such things while abusing people to protect us. They must be of a particularly pure metal. god must have a very special place for them. I know I can think of a place or two to put them, their commanders, their leaders, and anyone complicit in these torture chambers.
I read an article last week about the black prisons over seas. Seymore Hersch reported that "I’ve had people say to me -- five years ago, I had one say: ‘What do you call it when you interrogate somebody and you leave them bleeding and they don’t get any medical committee and two days later he dies. Is that murder? What happens if I get before a committee.?’”
http://www.alternet.org/rights/131153/seymour_hersh%3A_%22executive_assassination_ring%22_answered_to_cheney%2C_had_no_congressional_oversight/
Is that too offensive? Should we just bleach the world? That way there is no chance you could interact with anything that you shouldn’t. It is pitiful that people are allowed to escape serious introspection because they might be offended.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5gX9zj_zf0
I watched the video and have no idea what that has to do with DVD's original post. Maybe you're trying to point out that because so many men and women have died for freedom that we shouldn't allow it to be taken away so freely by acts of torture? That the founding fathers (to use a cliche') would have never wanted our national freedom to so obviously and blatantly be used as a reason to snuff out individual freedom and rights?
I don't know. I think I'd like a little additional info to tie this in to the discussion of torture and its benefits to our "War on Terrorism."
Thanks for sharing the video, Anon. Because you posted it here I can only assume it was meaningful for you and I would appreciate hearing about it from you.
sometimes people forget, if one wraps themselves in the flag they get blinded by the red, white and blue
Post a Comment