My Letter to the Editor...what do you think?

[stillcool]

Dear Editor:

Do Unto Others..as you would have them do unto you..
A recent poll was released that asserted roughly 1/2 of Americans agree with our government's right to torture anyone in the world, anytime, for any reason.
I think there was a time when the world did not hold the American people responsible for the actions of the Bush Administration. It seems they were wrong. As more and more details of our government's total disregard for human life are disclosed, it seems the American people are okey-dokey with Torture. Waterboarding one human being, an action that no one denies is torture, 183 times is no big deal. We've known about this torture for years, but reading the memos provides quite a glimpse into the minds of those advocating the practice. It is one thing to torture, but quite another to author in minute detail a legal finding for the sole purpose of providing the thinnest possible veneer of legality to torture techniques.
I am fortunate to be on my way down the hill, rather than on my way up. I've led a good, decent life, full of the best life can offer. Love, joy, happiness, serenity. I'm sure the future still holds that for many, but God help us if the world does unto us, as we have done unto them. Those tortured souls will haunt our country forever. If no one is held accountable for the horrific pain and suffering we have gleefully unleashed on the world, I hope those that advocate the practice of torture luck.

[efhmc]

1. Agreed on all parts.

[patrice]

2. Good letter! All it needs is a reference to the FACT that because the U.S. tortures, our Military

will be tortured whenever they find themselves in any enemy's hands. Thus, people who think it is okay for U.S. to torture, don't care that

our own Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Troops of anykind WILL BE TORTURED.

Aside from that fact, it is documented in Military histories that when the enemy knows they will not be tortured, they are more likely to surrender and, thus, American Soldiers' lives are spared. An enemy who knows they are going to be tortured fights on and on and on and on . . . .

Thus, those who support American Torture, DON'T CARE that additional American Military WILL, IN FACT, DIE, because "we" Torture.

[dalaigh lllama]

5. One might also add that one legal mind opined

that if these techniques were somehow established as legal, then it doesn't take a large step to make them legal for "regular" Americans.

[patrice]

11. Absolutely possible, to which one should then add the factor of Warantless Wire-tapping and then

consider the types of information that might be considered a threat to the Trans-National Corporations who run our Politicians and, hence, our Government. Think about what's happening Behind Behind-the-Scenes right now in our Financial Sector, what choruses of "Et tu Brute?" are being heard . . . . Think about the whole cycle repeating itself one or more times in the future. You are most definitely right, "regular" Americans ARE threatened and quite possibly not because they have anything to do with the Military directly, but maybe for things having to do with stuff that is more like Industrial Espionage, which COULD be justified by the possibilities of Industrial Espionage for PRIVATE businesses such as Xe, which contracts with our government and with foreign governments.

[patrice]

16. P.S. Anyone who thinks you're stretching it a bit needs to stop and ask themselves: Isn't something

that gets nearly 1,000,000 Iraqis Killed, who didn't need killing, plus 4K+ American combatants killed, capable of A - N - Y - T - H - I - N - G ?

[stillcool]

12. I'll try to work it in...

For sure those that advocate torture give a damn about those who serve in our military.

[Horse with no Name]

15. It's biblical

Proverbs 11:29
"He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind:
and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart."

[patrice]

3. P.S. I'm starting to get quite conflicted about this: Probably, a culture that supports Torture,

SHOULD experience the consequences of their support for Torture, because there is no other way for them to learn from their errors.

[taterguy]

4. It was much better than I expected

Most LTTEs are just regurgitations of other's arguments.

You managed to say something in a somewhat original way.

Well done.

Seriously.

[BlooInBloo]

6. Good, until the end...

"I hope those that advocate the practice of torture luck."

What does that mean?

[immoderate]

7. I picked that out too.

Wish instead of hope gives it some sense. But it's weak compared to the rest of it.

But it's a good letter.

--imm

[stillcool]

9. It was attempting to bring the..

'do unto others' in at the end.

[patrice]

13. I think it is a VERY good idea to get that idea out there: A corrallary of The Golden Rule,

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, is: The way that you treat others IS how you want them to treat you.

[onestepforward]

8. Great letter. Beautifully written.

[stillcool]

10. thanks for all the comments!!..

I love this place!

[patrice]

14. Thanks for writing that letter!

Gotta go stand on our street-corner now . . .

:hi: