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.
