REAL TORTURE ISSUE: lynch mob versus due process

[yurbud]

This whole time since 9/11, apart from any underlying agenda, the Bush administration seems to be doing everything on the lynch mob principle.

The point of due process is not only to protect the rights of individuals, but benefits society by making sure we catch the right person. It is a frustrating, slow, but relatively accurate process.

Even cop shows that glorify whacking suspects with a phone book like NYPD Blue acknowledge that this is sometimes done to innocent people.


By contrast, the goal of a lynch mob is simply the emotional satisfaction of getting someone quickly and seeing them suffer. No one stops to think for even a nanosecond that they might have the wrong person. That is why the Bush administration isn't too upset that the torture pics got out and Gitmo's reputation for abusing people--it is emotionally satisfying to the stupid to see SOMEONE suffer for what happened on 9/11. Hell, for some people, it would be emotionally satisfying even WITHOUT 9/11.


Oddly, even though lynching was far more common 80 years ago, it wasn't something you could defend in politie discourse with civilized people.

Now we don't have as many lynchings, cock fights, bear baiting, or criminals being drawn and quartered, but people seem to wish we did.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Start the Draft up again and make it apply to everyone under 30 y.o.

Then you will see another side to these "tough talking" a**holes in the Right Wing of The Republican Party. They'll be inventing all kinds of ailments to get out as well as beg their Daddies to pay The Draft Board off.

There will be no wannabe hero posturing if the Freeps were force to go to Iraq-nam or send their kids there.

"Be the first one on your block, to have you kid come home in a box" :nuke:

Implement the Draft ---> significantly fewer posturing Right Wingers. :P

[AX10]

2. Sadly true.

[seabeyond]

3. talking to a fox repug, ok with torture until i say child rape to get info

what he says. what.... no.... no....

then i went on to tell him the psychological of passing htis law. for u.s. to say out loud we will torture makes it that much easier to dehumanize the american as unamerican and allow them to torture, ... say the person that opposes bush.

but his few of torturing is waterboarding.... when i took it to child rape he couldnt stomach. and sticking light bulbs up mens ass. as harsh as it is, i was damn harsh

[yurbud]

4. I do a paper on the definition of torture with my students, and as jaded

as they are to sex and violence, the kid stuff leaves them speechless.