Letters to the Editor
-
Anonymust
Several years ago - I believe shortly after the Abu Graib story broke - The American Medical Association clearly and unamiguously condemned the use of torture and any physician who condoned or witnessed it, must less participated in it.
The American Psychiatric Association, whose members are also physicians, quickly followed suit.
It's been the American Psychological Association that's been fucking around, saying, well, maybe it's OK if our folks are there to make sure nobody dies.
It took a huge battle between the pro- and anti-forces in the APA to finally settle the issue against torture.
But the pro-torture contingent of the APA has not surrendered.
APA censure or no, trust me, there are licensed psychologists overseeing torture for Smirky's pleasure even as we speak.
-
It's not the games
Paul Dirks wrote:
Not to sound like the generation previous to mine who anticipated all the evils inherent in Rock N Roll, I nevertheless occasionally wonder if the advent of video gaming might have contributed to the utter lack of empathy that seems to be a defining characteristic of thirty-somethings these days.
Nah, that's not it. As an early thirty-something, I grew up playing video games, and I still have the normal, completely functional sense of empathy that allows me to see that torture is wrong.
Not only did I play video games, I was required by my elementary school LD teacher to use my Atari 2600 daily in order to overcome my terrible hand-eye coordination learning disability. Even today I long for the next installment of Grand Theft Auto with great anticipation, so I can steal cars, shoot gangsters and cops, and beat up hookers to my heart's content. But in the real world, I'm kind to animals and recognize the suffering of other people.
No, Jonah's problems aren't caused by video games. I'd wager that his problems are caused the life of privilege and entitlement he has lived. A life where his future was planned out; where he didn't know suffering or sacrifice; where others opened all his doors for him.
Without suffering ourselves, it's harder to feel the suffering of others. And his life suckling at the teat of wingnut welfare seems to have left him little time for either suffering or accomplishing anything on his own.
-
Mr. Greenwald,
Sorry for this completely off topic post.
Just watched Michael Moore's film SICKO, this weekend, and did not realize how good we have it in Canada as compared to you south of the border. Was further astounded by how good they seem to have it in France, and even in the UK!
This film is dangerous, and highly subversive, as it talks about ideas that are counter to the American independent way of thinking and being! I wish to strongly caution your readers not to watch, as those ideas could be revolutionary to your system. Michael Moore may be encouraging people to think for themselves, and this can not be tolerated! It may cause people to seek a better way of life! This film should be marked with strick warnings, and definitely no young people who could be influenced, should be allowed to view it.
Best wishes on your continued Beltway analysis...
-
How idiots move to the top ?
In a designed socially engineered culture like we have here in America perverts and corruption are rewarded and promoted.
-
Glenn,
Here in Texas in 1983 we had a sheriff of San Jacinto County who did something similar (though not as severe) to waterboarding to extract confessions. Sheriff James C. "Humpy" Parker used to strap the suspect into a chair, tilt his head back, place a wet towel over his face and pour water down his nose and over his face. When busted, Parker was charged with (if memory serves me) federal civil rights violations, pled guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The press routinely called what he did "torture." I don't think it ever occurred to anyone that it wasn't.
San Jacinto County is the poorest county in Texas. It's in East Texas which means it's part of the Old South. For an accurate picture of the place, think of Mississippi in the 1920s.
It's odd that behavior that's far worse than what Parker did is now acceptable to these people when it wasn't in Texas in 1983.
-
Short and to the point
In military action the indirect approach is advised. The direct approach, frontal assaults, leads to high casualties.
Men of action usually speak quite directly. Short and to the point. With chickenhawk pundits it's the other way around.
"Any soldier worth his salt should be anti-war. And yet there are things still worth fighting for."
~General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
-
Glenn's Misuse Of Language
When Glenn Greenwald titled this post "Jonah Goldberg's deeply 'conflicted' thoughts on war and torture," he harshly abuses the English language by describing the Goldbergian babblings as "thoughts". I await a correction.
-
Typing with lap full of cats
Should have read:
Several years ago - I believe shortly after the Abu Graib story broke - The American Medical Association clearly and unambiguously condemned the use of torture and any physician who condoned or witnessed it, much less participated in it.
Apologies.
-
Cool.
(Eu também, um pouco. Falo espanhol melhor. Quando quero falar em português tenho que pensar em espanhol e depois traduzi-lo a português. Eu sei que é provável que este tem muitos errões.)
-
I think
I met Jonah G. once, or those just like them, way back during the Iran hostage crisis. I was on the LSU campus, a sgt. in the reserves on the way to lt. via rotc, and all the frat boys were out demonstrating for us to go to war with Iran, like: NOW! SEND IN THE TROOPS! Chanting ugly war chants about killing Iranians, etc. So I went and changed into my uniform and went down with a clipboard and told them I was a recruiter and was willing to sign them up, now, so we could send them with the troops they wanted to send. And no one would. We appreciate what you are doing, but I need to finish my college. I have a health condition. I have to run my father's business. I'm an only child. etc. No one would sign up. I will never forget the rage I felt at those children of elites who wanted to send me and my friends in now, but were not willing to join me. They are always the same and they never go away and they fill me with contempt. Thanks for speaking up against them, Glenn.