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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
The topic of this post clearly illustrates this exact kind of moral duplicity which is the hallmark of the reactionary mind-set. A vacuum the size of a black hole exists when it comes to wingnuts having it morally both ways; topped-off with the arch and self-righteous certitude in which their hypocrisy comes wrapped-up in. The idea of the pot calling the kettle black is a concept that just doesn't compute in any rational sense in the minds of people like John Yoo.
Someone freely wanting to do something doesn't necessarily mean that that something is right.
Maybe - but assuming they're not hurting anyone else, it does mean you should mind your own business and worry about whether your own conduct is "right."
I know it's not as fun and titillating to want to control your own life and not other people's, but that's pretty much the foundation for a free society, so you should try.
As to whether someone is coerced or not, maybe you don't know until that someone is in a witness protection program.
From the article: "The person that was involved in the conduct sat [in court] with a smile on her face and wrote your honor a letter saying, 'Judge, this was a beautiful part of my life.'"
But she's just a little lady -- she can hardly be expected to judge for herself what she wants and likes.
Fortunately, we don't have to approve of the porn producer in any way, shape or form to get Glenn's point - which is that if make-believe sadomasochism merits three years in Federal Prison, then why are the Administration's torturers walking free?
As I recall, you and I already went around and around on this same issue in the context of your insistence that you didn't trust Eliot Spitzer's prostitutes to decide what was best for them, so let's agree on this point you make here.
From Glenn' last link, which is an article by Malcolm Nance, a former chief of training at the U.S. Navy Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School:
1. "One has to overcome basic human decency to endure causing the effects [of waterboarding]. The brutality would... leave you questioning the meaning of what it is to be an American."
2. "Is there a place for the waterboard? Yes. It must go back to the realm of training our operatives, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines - to prepare for its uncontrolled use by our future enemies."
3. "Our own missteps have already created a cadre of highly experienced lecturers for Al Qaeda's own virtual school for terrorists."
and finally, showing that this article appeared a year ago, before McCain voted against a bill that would have curtailed the CIA's use of the technique:
4. "I agree with Sen. John McCain. Waterboarding should never be used as an interrogation tool. It is beneath our values."
In short, McCain, who once claimed that he survived torture in captivity through a belief that his country stood for something better than those who used it against him, was, at least at that time, a champion for those familiar with torture who saw that its use would "br[eak] the seal on the Pandora's box of indignity, cruelty and hatred in the name of protecting America."
Too bad McCain has since changed his position. He was against torture... before he was for it.
Seems fair to me.
It does get tiresome to hear and read about this kind of story, the blatant double standards, and the vulgar hypocrisy, especially when you recall the Federal Judge who had porn on his own website: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/06/chief-judge-in.html
Who paid no other penalty except some embarrassment.
Then there was the Republican party itself, who happily filled their coffers for years with donations from porn peddlers, and who very unhappily gave it back, when caught red-handed:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/11/rnc_accepts_mon.html
Then there was Adelphia, the huge cable conglomerate, who gave tons of money to Republicans and turned out to be the 1st to offer porn on its cable channels.
The Republican Party doesn't appear to contain very many Christ-like people. It is hard to imagine Jesus Christ waterboarding someone while sermonizing on turning the other cheek, or loving thy neighbor, or doing unto others, but I guess you have to do what you do to get a vote.
whores are whores and it doesn't matter how you define it, the only difference is how much you get for the trouble.
And in all cases, the perps went to jail.Seems fair to me.
Hardly a surprise that you can't distinguish between things that happen in reality and fiction -- that's the hallmark of your political movement -- but I'd like to know: who went to prison for what happened to Mohammed al-Qahtani described in the post, and all the other detainees at Guantanamo?
"So someone on the Internet claims anonymously to have been raped and now you believe it? Fine - if that claim is true - then he should be prosecuted for rape and, if convicted, imprisoned for a long time. But that's not the crime he's been accused of committing."
Hey- I marked that source as unverified. Usually though, smoke=fire. Not always, but it warrants digging deeper. You have the law background and press access. I know it's not as glamorous or popular as the Guantanamo case, but are the constitutional rights of young women in this country not important also? Here's a quote from the guy you are defending: Max sees no need to murder his victims during his pseudo-snuff films because as he likes to say, "By the time I'm done with them, they're already dead inside."
Thanks for listening, Hyblaean.
http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Max_Hardcore
source for the quote- sorry, should have placed next to it
source for the quote- sorry, should have placed next to it
If you consider what you linked to as a "source for the quote" I have a bridge to no where to sell to you.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
