On the Uses of Torture

It came as no surprise to me when the White House announced that torture tactics were used in the interrogation of suspected terrorists at detainment camps, particularly GITMO, throughout the prior administration's tenure.

My question for the American populace is: what cave have YOU been sleeping in and when do you intend on waking up?

Given the very climate and perverse governmental policy of the prior administration, (plus their willingness to use the U.S. Constitution as toilet paper on various ideology), for people to decry the "sudden" and "unexpected" exposure of such an egregious violation of civic rights just...eh. I guess I should not surprised. The American public could honestly care less about what happens in government, just so long as it: A) Makes them rich, B) Continues the facade of being the self-proclaimed greatest nation on earth, and C) Does not directly affect them in such a way that it mars their personal and material happiness.

So I am here to say one thing:

IT WAS -UNCONSITUTIONAL-. U-N-C-O-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N-A-L.

And here is why:

U.S. Constitution, 8th Amendment: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

U.S. Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 1 & 5: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

NOTE: Prisoners of war fall under the jurisdiction of the American government and, within the scope of implied powers, those persons must be granted 'equal protection of the laws'. Congress has repeatedly extended these rights to criminals, domestic and foreign, and has proven most hypocritical.

Excerpt from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): This declaration, drafted within the scope of the United Nations, it prohibited torture and 'cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment'.

The Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture (Drafted Dec. 9, 1985, entered into force Feb. 28, 1987) followed suit of multiple anti-torture conventions held within the scope of the UN and was ultimately a template adopted world wide.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, (1966), adopted worldwide (U.S. included). Article 7 echoes the sentiment that torture is to be prohibited within the scope of international law.

Ok, ok, ok. Enough already. I know there is more than enough supporting evidence to prove that the world and the U.S. in particular have tried to take the moral high ground and abolish torture throughout. I also understand that it is human nature to say "do unto others, and as they have done unto me, so shall I do unto them". I again am a firm believer than if we all demanded an eye for and eye and tooth or a tooth, then soon we shall all be blind and unable to eat.

What gets me is the blatant and fragrant finger pointing. Speaker Nancy Pelosi in particular made a vehement case of being "unaware" that torture tactics were being used (see: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/23/torture.politics/index.html). The rumor mill on Capitol Hill must be alive and well, I am sure, so for one to even remotely catch wind of such an issue should duly make a case against it. You cannot work that closely to the President and be completely blind - I firmly do not believe that.

Without staying on my soap box too long, I will say this: just because someone else burns down your house doesn't mean you go out and do the same to them. Foreign countries may use such methodology for extracting information but we as the "zion upon hill", accoridng to the Puritans of the 1600's and the self-proclaimed "greatest nation" on Earth, we should take the moral high ground each and every time. For us to say, "Well, YOU can't but WE can" is hypocritical, stupid, and immorally moronic.

Therefor, I invite you to watch this little Flash animation, for it is where we are headed in life:

http://www.endofworld.net/

Mind you, it is a little bit salty in language, so if you're not a sailor on shore leave, I would suggest sending the kiddies to bed before you take a peek.