BY MAXIME VILLENEUVE
Good afternoon, LMJ readers! My name is Maxime Villeneuve and I've been tasked with covering the practice of torture and how it is an affront to human dignity. As we work together to build a culture of life and a consistent life ethic, it’s important that we understand this issue so that we are prepared to discuss it with others.
Torture can be a difficult issue because it is very susceptible to be accepted by others when it is rationalized on grounds that it "protects us from the terrorists" and is "necessary for intelligence gathering." On the surface these arguments are powerful, especially to an American public that wants its government to channel Kiefer Sutherland in dealing with terrorists. Supporters of torture not only take the idea that "the ends justify the means" to heart; they have begun to even object to the means being objectionable. This was especially true during the Bush administration and the debate over waterboarding, and whether it was properly considered "torture" or (the Orwellian term) "enhanced interrogation."
This running column then is tasked to give you, the reader, the tools and knowledge to show how:
Torture, in all its forms, is an affront to human dignity and therefore never acceptable.
Torture is an ineffective and even dangerous interrogation method, because those being tortured will say whatever they believe the interrogator wants to hear, rather than the truth.
Torture was/is greatly abused by the Bush and Obama administrations. This column will share horror stories from Guantanamo Bay and CIA-connected foreign prisons to help you wake the consciences of your friends and family.
Torture must be opposed by all politicians of all parties.
In addition, I will be doing weekly short postings on Mondays (Torture Mondays . . . ha!) through the Life Matters Journal Facebook page. These postings will include videos, articles, and resources for you to share with friends and family. I look forward to getting to know you readers over the coming weeks.
Let’s build a culture of life together!
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