Monday, June 12, 2006

Hell, I'm Always Going On About Torture

This month, by special request from Bloggers Against Torture, as part of Torture Awareness Month, I'll be going on about it even more.

Because this is it. I need to justify being against Bush - he is, after all, the president. I need to justify what I say about Republicans, conservatives, even Bush followers and evangelicals - because there are decent, kind, and good people in all those categories, misguidedly believing that what they do is good for our country.

But being against torture requires no justification.

Being anti-torture should be the default for every man, woman, and child in the United States of America, whether you just got off the boat or your ancestors were at Plymoth Rock or the Siberian land bridge.

Let the torturers try to justify themselves. Being for the due process of law and against the torture of the helpless is part of what it means to be an American citizen.

Remember when we were better than the Soviets because they shipped political prisoners off to some God-forsaken hellhole and tortured false confessions out of them?

Looks like we're the Soviets now.

3 comments:

Kathy O'Leary said...

Torture is a moral issue. This is the heading for a quarter-page ad in June 13th’s New York Times op-ed section. It is an announcement of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture which is a non-profit group headquartered in Princeton, NJ that formed early this year. Cardinal McCarrick, Rabbi Jerome Epstein, Dr. Sayyid M. Sayeed, Dr. Rick Warren and 22 other prominent religious leaders from a diverse background have endorsed the campaign’s statement against the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading tactics by our government.

In May, a month that is devoted to Mary, Pope Benedict XVI spoke to a crowd at the Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love just outside Rome. He gave a recitation of the rosary and then spoke of the love of God and of Mary as a sign of that love. Pope Benedict concluded by speaking of the power of love and the current imperative for choosing love over violence in dealing with our enemies “there is a need to convert to God, to God who is Love, so that the world may be freed from war and terrorism”.

Also in May, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Colin Powell speak. He was not most proud of his accomplishments in war, but of his accomplishments in bringing and maintaining peace. He spoke of what he believes is the only way to end terrorism. It is, according to a 4-star general, through small acts of kindness that we will end the fear and the hate that feeds terrorism.

If the Pope and a 4-star general can both choose diplomacy over bombs and love over violence then why can't we as Americans do the same?

In a letter to the Senate in support of the McCain-Warner Ammendment to the Defense Authorization Act Bishop John H. Ricard, speaking on behalf of the USCCB wrote "In a time of terrorism and great fear, our individual and collective obligation to respect basic human dignity and human rights, even of our worst enemies, gains added importance." At a time when the Pentagon is re-writing the Army field manual to remove language that relates to the Geneva Convention and prohibitions against the use of inhumane treatment of prisoners, and detainees at Guantanamo are committing suicide because they have lost all hope of ever being released this statement is very poignant.


Please endorse NRCAT's this statement and tell your legislators that your faith tells you that you must choose love because torture is a moral issue.

For a link to NRCAT's statement you can go to my website www.paxsummit.blogspot.com

Bob Higgins said...

The Torture Of America

I have placed a link to your blog
on my site at Please review my site and consider linking back to me.

Thanks

Bob Higgins
Worldwide Sawdust

Moody Loner said...
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