Americans like their torture
By Michael J.W. Stickings
According to this Gallup poll, 55 percent of Americans think that "the use of harsh interrogation techniques for terrorism suspects was justified."
Which is to say, 55 percent of Americans support the use of torture.
Now, it's possible that many Americans don't quite understand the nature of "harsh interrogation techniques." If they haven't been paying attention -- and who can, with American Idol down to its final five? (Go... well, I don't really like any of them this year. Go Matt or Kris, I suppose, or maybe Allison) -- they might not know just what Bush and Cheney authorized. It's also possible that many Americans simply don't want to believe -- ignorance is bliss, of course -- that their oh-so-beloved country tortured.
So it's somewhat promising that 51 percent of Americans, another majority, "favor... a government investigation into the use of harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects." Perhaps, just perhaps, as more comes out, as more people come to understand that "harsh interrogation techniques" is a euphemism for torture, and that the U.S. did in fact torture, perhaps the tide will turn against "harsh interrogation techniques" for good.
Simply put, Americans deserve to know -- we all deserve to know, I would argue -- just what happened under Bush and Cheney. Ultimately, Americans should be able to make up their minds not in blissful ignorance but with a full understanding of what happened, that is, they should be able to do so under the influence of the truth, not of the lies of Cheneyesque propaganda.
Even then, will many Americans still support the use of torture. Yes, alas, I fear they will. But at least we will have a more accurate picture, should the truth come out, of the extent of America's pathological bloodlust, including of the bloodlust that drove Bush, Cheney, et al. to do what they did.
According to this Gallup poll, 55 percent of Americans think that "the use of harsh interrogation techniques for terrorism suspects was justified."
Which is to say, 55 percent of Americans support the use of torture.
Now, it's possible that many Americans don't quite understand the nature of "harsh interrogation techniques." If they haven't been paying attention -- and who can, with American Idol down to its final five? (Go... well, I don't really like any of them this year. Go Matt or Kris, I suppose, or maybe Allison) -- they might not know just what Bush and Cheney authorized. It's also possible that many Americans simply don't want to believe -- ignorance is bliss, of course -- that their oh-so-beloved country tortured.
So it's somewhat promising that 51 percent of Americans, another majority, "favor... a government investigation into the use of harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects." Perhaps, just perhaps, as more comes out, as more people come to understand that "harsh interrogation techniques" is a euphemism for torture, and that the U.S. did in fact torture, perhaps the tide will turn against "harsh interrogation techniques" for good.
Simply put, Americans deserve to know -- we all deserve to know, I would argue -- just what happened under Bush and Cheney. Ultimately, Americans should be able to make up their minds not in blissful ignorance but with a full understanding of what happened, that is, they should be able to do so under the influence of the truth, not of the lies of Cheneyesque propaganda.
Even then, will many Americans still support the use of torture. Yes, alas, I fear they will. But at least we will have a more accurate picture, should the truth come out, of the extent of America's pathological bloodlust, including of the bloodlust that drove Bush, Cheney, et al. to do what they did.
Labels: Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, polls, torture
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
11:00 AM
2 Comments:
What's wrong with Adam? Are you a homophobe?
And on the torture thing, to quote my pain-in-the ass mother-in-law, "GET OVER IT!"
By
Anonymous, at 11:13 AM
As to your second point first: Get over what? Criminality? The abuse of the Constitution? The abandonment of America's core principles? Should Americans just pretend that that never happened? If they do, what happened will happen again. And, in a society based on the rule of law, which the U.S. is despite the efforts of Bush, Cheney, et al., it is imperative that those who break the law be held accountable? If not, what credibility does it have left?
As to your first point. Right, I'm a homophobe because I don't like Adam's self-absorbed preening. He can be engaging, I admit, but he's just so full of it, so phony. The rest of the competition is boring, but I'll take Matt's genuine talent over showiness.
And if you think I'm a homophone, clearly you don't know this blog, which is one of the most supportive of gay rights you'll find anywhere.
By
Michael J.W. Stickings, at 7:46 PM
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