BCT Editorial – 5/31/09

This page was last updated on May 31, 2009.

Tortured logic; Editorial; Beaver County Times; May 31, 2009.

For the most part, I’ve stayed out of the “what constitutes torture” debate for two reasons.

First, one man’s harsh interrogation is another man’s torture. The definition varies sometimes for no other reason than political partisanship.

Second, and more important to me, I don’t care when it comes to saving lives.

For my thoughts on the use of torture, please read my critiques of “Let’s talk about double standards” and “No excuse can justify torture.”

The editorial concludes with “When are people like Muller and others going to understand that torture is not only illegal, it’s un-American? Or, are they incapable of grasping that basic principle of human rights and our ideals?” Again I have two points.

First, which is more “un-American,” to torture a terrorist in order to save lives, or not to torture and sacrifice innocent lives just so we can feel good about ourselves?

Second, our “ideals” are not a suicide pact. Our ideals rightly say it is wrong to kill someone, but we make exceptions for self-defense or for protecting the life of an innocent. Why should it be any different for torture?