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Thursday, July 2, 2009 12:00 AM

The still-growing NPR "torture" controversy

The media outlet's use of Bush euphemisms sparks a much-needed debate on journalistic standards.

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  • Thursday, July 2, 2009 06:16 AM

    Ask about Other Torture Techniques

    Since she seems to think 'waterboarding' is some kind of enhanced spa technique, ask her about shutting someone up in a coffin-sized box with bugs (especially someone who is claustrophobic & afraid of bugs). To me, you have harder time dismissing that as not being torture. It sounds more medevil than 'waterboarding'.

    Also the sleep deprivation tactic should be mentioned & then noted that the North Koreans used this to brainwash our troops. Did North Korea use torture or not? If she says keeping someone forcibly awake for 3 or 4 days straight is not torture, then what the North Koreans did was not torture.

    You can also ask hypothetical questions to determine what she would call 'torture'. Surely she would think that ripping off someone's fingernails or putting a cage with a starved rat on their face was torture. Then you could try & walk them back as to why they didn't think waterboarding was torture.

    You could also note that if we don't think waterboarding is torture, then we can't object to another country waterboarding our troops they have captured in some conflict. Ask her if that will help our troop's morale.

    I know you'll get them in the end, Glenn.

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