Torture is Un-American

Torture is something that I have always thought of as being done by other countries. There are some countries such as England, France, and Spain that have done so in the past, but have changed their policy to reject those activities. It is something that I was sure that America had moved beyond and I expect the large majority of Americans would say an emphatic no to allowing.

It has historically been the position of the United States that we will not do it, condone it, or allow it when in our power to prevent. So why are we having a national discussion on whether we should allow torture, or allow one or two people decide what constitutes torture? What has changed in our country to cause normally merciful peoples to say it may be okay? Is it some great and widespread sales job that has caused many of our citizens to disregard their beliefs in human rights or to ignore their religious beliefs and not rise up in defiance of those that would change our national moral code. Torture is not some vaguely indescribable activity. There are many forms of torture from physical to mental. Some can leave permanent scars, injuries, or even end in death. All forms will affect the one receiving it, and often the one administering it, for the rest of their lives. Any reasonable person can decide pretty quickly when an activity of interrogation crosses the line from serious or aggressive to torture.

Our country has been a part of, and in fact been the main supporter and writer of, treaties that prohibit the use of torture. We have most likely always had some overly enthusiastic or even cruel individuals that would cross that line in an effort to get information quickly. History has proven that most information acquired in this manner is unreliable. And when those people conducting that type of interrogation were discovered, they were dealt with.

It is beyond my understanding that any leader in this country would even approach this subject as a possibility. For anyone to argue that terrorist suspects are not subject to the articles of the Geneva Convention and therefore can be dealt with in a manner less humane seems incompehensible to me. We have fought hard to set the standard of humane treatment for prisoners of any war. In the last few years, it seems we have given up that leadership in the name of protection. This is not protection or security, but a long term way to have even less security. This says much more about us than it does about those who are against us.

I do believe in protecting our country, our interests, and our citizens. I believe we must do everything possible to insure that protection. I do not believe that giving up the very standards that set us apart from the cruelty of evil nations or peoples is insuring us of any type of security. It is a step toward our own destruction.

There is ample proof in our history of times and peoples that conducted torturous activites. Yo can look at the history of slavery and the treatment of the indians or native americans for examples. Because of that we did write laws, create agencies, enforce treaties, and more to insure the safety of our citizens as far as possible and the humane treatment of all those we have held as our prisoners.

Whether we actually torture a person or allow other countries to do so, we are the ones that pay the price. We pay it in the respect we receive throughout the world and we pay for it in the loss of national morality. Lets stop the discussion about torture. Just say no and treat everyone we hold as we would wish our soldiers to be treated if captured. It is the American way to be better than those who would do us harm.