I would not do it under
any circumstances. Even if
your life were at stake. Even if my
husband's life was at stake.
It is inhumane.
It is
illegal.
It violates our Constitution.
It's in violation of International Treaties we've signed.
It's
proven to be unreliable.
It bears repeating, it's
illegal and
inhumane.
Now, answer
my questions, please. I'll repeat them with bullet points so you don't miss any.
- [i]f the police capture a suspected criminal, say a possible mass murderer, and drag in his family, neighbors and friends, and torment them for years with waterboarding, slapping them around, confining them in small boxes with things that are known to terrify them, etc., without charge and without access to lawyers or courts, you'd be perfectly ok with that?
- It's the ends that matter, not the means, right?
- What differentiates that scenario from what our government and its agents have been doing to suspected terrorists and their friends, family and neighbors?
- Is one life, or 20, or 100, not as important to protect from the alleged mass murderer as the potential hundreds or thousands threatened by the alleged terrorists?
- Is it a quantity issue to you? (Apparently yes, but I'd like a clarification and a quantification. At what number of potential victims does torture become acceptable to you?)