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varkam (1000+ posts) Wed Dec-17-08 10:27 AMOriginal message I am opposed to torture (except when I cheer for it). There's something strange that I have noticed for a long time and have only just begun to get around to articulating it. Most people who read this are probably going to be opposed to torture. You know, water-boarding, CIA renditions to countries that don't have moral hangups about ripping out your fingernails with a pair of pliers, beatings that go on for hours, et cetera - torture. The something strange that I have noticed, though, is that some people who are opposed to torture aren't really opposed to torture. It seems that torture is okay for some people in certain circumstances. I guess the thing I'm left wondering is...well...why? Why is torture not okay under one set of circumstances, and totally fine (even laudable) under another set of circumstances?Usually when people talk of opposition to torture, they're talking about Bush and Cheney authorizing "harsh interrogation techniques" to be used on people in Gitmo who are denied the ability to defend themselves against the charges leveled against them. Is it because it's run by the state? Is it because it's Bush? Is it because it's used to elicit information?Because some folks that I have talked and listened to (folks who are generally liberal and oppose torture) seem to change when we start talking about different circumstances. Bring up the subject of animal abusers, child abusers, wife beaters, violent criminals, hell, even corporate cheats and even liberals seem to want to be the first in line to take a shot at the 8th amendment. So what's different? Is torture okay if it is used as a punishment, as opposed to an interrogation technique? Is torture okay if it's used against only those people that upset us and make us angry? Is it okay so long as it's not done in Gitmo? Really, though are not rhetorical questions. I'm trying to figure out what makes torture fine and dandy in one set of circumstances and a crime against humanity in others. Seems to me that it's a pretty fine line to walk - to be opposed to torture (except when you're not).Just my .02.
