Uh, some stuff

Dear Cheneys,

Perhaps I am mistaken, but I am under the impression that doing what's right in the face of danger is called bravery. Conversely, setting aside ones morality in the hope of safety is called cowardice.

You worry that the release of information will cause those who torture in the name of the United States to fear the consequences of their actions. Well, I worry about torturers not fearing the consequences of their actions. I don't know that torture is ever necessary, but I don't know that it isn't. However, killing a human is sometimes necessary, but we do not make it legal. We do not work to make sure people lose their fear of the consequences of killing. So why should we do so with torture? I want torture to be something we're never comfortable with, no matter who it is practiced on.

You say what we do is not torture. There is a simple test to know the truth of that: Would we call it torture if it was done to one of our citizens? We would and have done so.

People do a lot of crazy things when they're afraid. A quality I look for in a leader is the ability to act rationally in the face of fear. You believe the current administration is afraid to do what's necessary, I believe you're afraid to do what's right. I think this stems from a simple difference of view. You believe the greatest danger we face comes from outside, I believe it comes from within. I would rather die at the hands of cowards and bullies than live in a nation of cowards and bullies.

Sincerely,
Angstzeit

I do not even know where to begin.

The utter disgust that seethes within me when anyone suggests this is not torture is seemingly boundless. The threat to the entire concept of America this poses makes McCarthy look like a pleasant interlude.

I generally try not to offend people. But there is a line.

Anyone who believes we should be waterboarding anyone is an idiot. Not just an idiot, but the most hideous, poisonous idiot I can imagine. Torturing people to "prevent another 9/11" is like chopping off ones legs to make sure one never falls. We lose. Plain and simple. We become the enemy.

Treason. A word I've never used. I'll use it now. To condone any U.S. Citizen torturing or abetting torture is treasonous. Period.

I know it is cliché, but I hope I'd be writing something similar if I was living in Germany in the 30s.

A tragedy has been unfolding for eight days now. Six men in a collapsed mine. Rescuers have been working nonstop to try to get to these men. What is not said out loud is that the chance that they are alive is slim. But the rescuers are still doing everything they can and will until they find the miners; whatever their fate.

But there is a further point to all this. Of course this is in every way an attempt to work against hope and find these men alive. But it is also, and perhaps more importantly, a symbol to every person that makes that daily trek into the dangers of a mine. It is a promise; a comfort. Each of these people enters their mine knowing that if they become trapped, no effort will be spared to rescue them. And God forbid they are trapped, this knowledge and hope just might carry them through.

Not to detract from the tragedy and heroism of the mine story but I think this is a parable for those in this country who would condone torture. When our soldiers and civilians enter dangerous areas of this world, they should be able to carry with them the moral fortitude of knowing they were never a party to torture. They do not deserve torture. No one does. They should know that their government, with clean hands and conscience can earnestly work for their release and freedom from torture.

Even if someone magically knew those miners were dead. They could never guess how many future miners might be saved by letting the rescue efforts go on.
You might be able to put a number on the people saved by torturing someone (though unlikely); but you'll never know how much suffering and death you bring to the future by doing so.