And speaking of monsters
As much as I would like all of those responsible in any way for the despicable use of torture interrogation techniques – those high up in the Bush administration who promoted the policies, those who agreed to it, the lawyers who did the research and parsed words to cloak the torture techniques in legalese, and those who actually carried out the policy – I think President Obama follows a wise course by, as accused by some on the left and the liberal center, ignoring the issue. We will do nothing.
Well almost nothing. He has instructed the Justice Department to assist any CIA operatives who find themselves in courts overseas.
Makes sense to me. Unless we’re going to actually deal with the head honchos (Bush, et al), then let’s help those lower down the food chain cover their butts.
Senator Leahy is still making noises about some sort of inquiry – but that’s just for show. He pushed that idea a while back – a laughable idea at best, a cynical one at worst: We can have all the inquiries we want – but we already know what happened and we already know that any such commission will merely wag its collective finger in pompous indignation at those truly responsible while unfairly squashing any pawns the last administration pushed out in front as canon fodder. Why go after the little guys? Waste of time and money.
Well almost nothing. He has instructed the Justice Department to assist any CIA operatives who find themselves in courts overseas.
Makes sense to me. Unless we’re going to actually deal with the head honchos (Bush, et al), then let’s help those lower down the food chain cover their butts.
Senator Leahy is still making noises about some sort of inquiry – but that’s just for show. He pushed that idea a while back – a laughable idea at best, a cynical one at worst: We can have all the inquiries we want – but we already know what happened and we already know that any such commission will merely wag its collective finger in pompous indignation at those truly responsible while unfairly squashing any pawns the last administration pushed out in front as canon fodder. Why go after the little guys? Waste of time and money.
posted by Bird | 8:40 AM
2 Comments:
how about we start with bush junior and cheney, water torture them (a lil shock therapy tossed in for fun) to find out the real truth.
After all, it's not deadly.
Kind'a like the police dude in a station where all officers were to get tasered so they would have an idea of what it was (the fancy wording eludes me...sensitivity training?) but, he got a note from his doctor saying that he was at risk for suffering a heart attack if he were tasered.
Wait a minute here.
He got a note from his doctor saying he might DIE if tasered, but, it's oK to use this on the general public?
Hi Bird,
this is Sarah Sofia from Denmark here. Jack linked me over to your "monster"-post, since we talked about simular things.
Anyway, before I get started on that: what are you teaching? And where? Higfh school? College? Private pupils? Grown-ups?
Forgive me for being curious, but both my husband have done a lot of teaching, too, in fact he's now working as a teacher in a private school, for kids all ages.
Unfortunately private schools and home-schooling are the only forms of teaching left in Denmark, where children can still receive a good education in a save environment and I recently wrote a book on the subject called "Independent Learning in Practice", because I realized that far too few parents do actually know that that's a right they have and that home-schooling can be done easily and with great success.
But back to both of your posts, which didn't only have my interest, but which also indicate that you clearly are a person who is very aware and cares about his fellow man and his environment. I write this, because I find that so many people do only focus on superficial activities, while ignoring the rest of life...
You clearly must have had a decent childhood and a safe life, if you say, you don't feel like going to school and so on... would rather write a poem or so... you seem to be a decent nice gentleman, who never saw hell from the inside.
Well, as cruel as it may sound, I can understand how a woman can do things as terrible linke that. not that i think it's right or in anyway justifyable. But if you think, how women get preagnant in the first place. How often does that actually have anything to do with love? How many children are actually the result of rape?
How many mothers are actually under the influence of psychopharmica and can therefore not think straight?
And then last not least: Childbirth itself. How many women get just totally mistreated while giving birth?! Not surprising they don't have a good relationship with their children afterwards!
And from the point of view of the mistreated child... well what can I say?! As a child you just don't have any rights. The grown-ups can do anything to you and whether anybody ever believes at least a part of the truth... well, you've gotta get very lucky in order for that to happen! And even then... there is just no protection, no safe place... you just better grow up fast and learn how to protect yourself!
And the monster? Sure, we all have it within us, but the question is: how low do I want to sink? Do I live by a code of honor? Do I feel an obligation to only do what is ethical and for the greatest good? Or am I this insane and ignorant that I just REact as a response to impulses comming my way?
In my opinion the fact that we can make those choices is what differenciates us from the animals.
However, I dont wish to insult any animals here... I've seen animals acting more humane than many humans...
Anyway, thanks for the good posts and here are two of my posts on the subject of torture and violation of human rights which you might find interesting:
http://livinginscandinavia.blogspot.com/2009/04/victims.html
and
http://livinginscandinavia.blogspot.com/2009/03/torture-ultimate-taboo.html
greetings from Scandinavia, Sarah Sofia
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