tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post7965357517169277980..comments2023-10-03T07:42:45.588-04:00Comments on November Fifth: Have Americans become desensitized to the suffering of others?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-42233290142367016582009-04-23T14:54:00.000-04:002009-04-23T14:54:00.000-04:00@itdawnedonme, you said "It's interesting that the...@itdawnedonme, you said "It's interesting that the very people who claim to hold moral authority and be the religious amongst us are the ones minimizing the tremendous physical damage done to detainees."<br /><br />I have to point out that one of the most infamous torturers in all of history was the Inquisitions that were carried out by the Catholic Church. Pope Innocent IV was the first to authorize torture as a means of extracting confessions from prisoners accused of heresy in his papal bull <I>Ad exstirpanda</I>. The only rule was, you couldn't kill them or draw blood. So more often than not, waterboarding of some form was used, or the rack, which stretched people and dislocated joints. <br /><br />There was also a rule you could only torture once, but that was useless, as they considered it one session no matter how long it went on, months or whatever.<br /><br />So, it surprises me not. Anyone who can study a history of the Inquisition and not be disturbed by the things they did in the name of "god", has something wrong with them. There's also obviously something wrong in the heads of these people who think that torture is okay.A World Quite Madhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18173346413223847865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-67225726074327867532009-04-22T23:51:00.000-04:002009-04-22T23:51:00.000-04:00It's interesting that the very people who claim to...It's interesting that the very people who claim to hold moral authority and be the religious amongst us are the ones minimizing the tremendous physical damage done to detainees. <br /><br />They use language like "A person wearing a soft collar was shoved into a cushioned wall" or "A person was made to sit or stand for a period of time...big deal."<br /><br />The language used is disturbing. They laugh at the use of the word "torture." To hear them talk about what happened, it is as if the detainees were just roughed up a bit. <br /><br />I've read the reports. What was done is difficult to read about...it's disturbing, it's nauseating...it's unfathomable. <br /><br />Not only have some (not all) Americans become desensitized to the physical suffering of others, they also have become desensitized to their ability to feel compassion and caring for fellow human beings. <br /><br />One thing I heard said about Bush is that he's a lot meaner than most people thought. In my opinion, so are a lot of the "religious" right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-25231737417858635992009-04-22T17:34:00.000-04:002009-04-22T17:34:00.000-04:00The metaphysical implications of the excerpts you ...The metaphysical implications of the excerpts you provided from this book sound a lot like Soul Loss or Soul Theft. <br /><br />A spiritual malaise that often strikes survivors of torture and trauma.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-75189947292254630052009-04-22T16:12:00.000-04:002009-04-22T16:12:00.000-04:00Interesting stuff. It seems it might be a bit over...Interesting stuff. It seems it might be a bit over my head, but I do think it is interesting.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03549123874862896634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-90671898143968333192009-04-22T13:56:00.000-04:002009-04-22T13:56:00.000-04:00Thanks for the comments, all.
I just hope that th...Thanks for the comments, all.<br /><br />I just hope that this can be investigated and prosecuted in a non-partisan manner. I am so sick of the bi-partisan bull-pucky.<br /><br />Non-partisan: regardless of the political affiliations, those who wrote these codices of torture must be made to face the repercussions for their part in this.skyewriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16460978897138052927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-78714124037550838802009-04-22T13:47:00.000-04:002009-04-22T13:47:00.000-04:00Like John Stewart said the other night, all the GO...Like John Stewart said the other night, all the GOP can do is complain about a fantasy of breach in national security.<br /><br />They seem to deny the fact that human beings getting tortured is involved...<br /><br />Think about the total control the torturers had over the prisoners. Total control. I hope Spain follows through with its stated intent to investigate and prosecute.<br /><br />I don't think the release of those memos makes the US look bad (well, not worse for having tortured). Instead I think it shows that we are a nation who admits when it is wrong and has done wrong. That is not weakness. That is the very heart of integrity, honesty, and ethics.<br /><br />I can't understand how the religious right (silent majority, humph) cannot see the hypocrisy and immorality, to use their own rhetoric, of denying and hiding these acts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-30132644838998062902009-04-22T13:33:00.000-04:002009-04-22T13:33:00.000-04:00It is one thing to discuss torture in the abstract...It is one thing to discuss torture in the abstract and quite another to see it or imagine feeling it yourself. Thank you Skye for posting this. I am still trying to wrap my mind around all of this. As the details come out I am ever more sickened by the whole thing.<br /><br />I still cannot understand why more people were not saying, "What have we done?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-69743751952318525172009-04-22T13:26:00.000-04:002009-04-22T13:26:00.000-04:00Thanks for the book recommendation. As I have said...Thanks for the book recommendation. As I have said, I learn something new every time I am here.<br /><br />Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324795343861877481.post-73704583266930697582009-04-22T10:48:00.000-04:002009-04-22T10:48:00.000-04:00I'm glad you mentioned Michel Foucault, as from yo...I'm glad you mentioned Michel Foucault, as from your description of the text it certainly sounds a bit like his Discipline and Punish and his History of Sexuality books. Interesting. I should see if this is at my local bookstore. Thank you.ZIRGARhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05292312948672927804noreply@blogger.com