Torture Memos - The Verdcit

Anywhere you look today, on the internet or television you will find the debate about the torture memos released by the Obama administration; unless you are CNN, then you will dig your head in the sand because your are fearful of broadcasting anything controversial. It just might hurt your dear little ratings. No matter what side of the ideological fence you ride this is detrimental to our nation.

For decades the United States took the high road in morality and humanity. We have tried and hung, not just those who gave the orders in the Holocaust, but the German soldiers who carried them out. We have proclaimed civil rights violations of China in their treatment of Tibet. We were outraged by Slobodan Milošević and the ethnic cleansing of Bosnia, who was later convicted of war crimes and died in jail. We are sickened by the atrocities at Darfur. Throughout this time, the United States stood true to the principle, Americans don’t torture.

We in this country after a great deal of bloodshed over came slavery, but it was only recently that the Klu Klux Klan and other groups tortured and killed many innocent people. Regardless, the ideology should be the same-Man’s inhumanity to man is wrong. It should not matter the color of a man’s skin, his religion, his sexual orientation-brutality is a crime.

Many have said our country is in economic peril. Should we be spending money, time and effort on looking backward and digging up the past? Even our President did not want to look backward, but move forward. Perhaps, but taking into consideration, our history and moral high standard in the world we must take this subject very seriously. We cannot simply wash this under the table and say we were scared. We were worried of another terrorist attack. Worrying for our freedom, does not mean we have the right to take another man’s freedom away. Fear should not evoke brutality.

The world is watching us very carefully, especially Spain who already has indicated they may press charges on some of the people who wrote the torture memos. American pride and dignity is at stake. Are we a nation of our word? Do we really believe torture is wrong? If we fail to act; we are presenting a disservice to all those who suffered during the holocaust, in Bosnia and Darfur. If we fail to act we are presenting a double standard. If we do not act appropriately we are giving rationality that cruelty is acceptable.

Then the question remains, where do we draw the line at cruelty? Who decides what is acceptable? Is it okay to torture and kill because we are afraid? Is it okay to torture if we disagree with someone else? If we do not act, we are sending a message to the future, that inhumanity can be justified. We need to set the example and stand by our moral standards, torture by no means is acceptable.

The embedded video is Spencer Tracy's verdict in the most oustanding movie, Judgement at Nuremburg. It sends a message to us Americans today....It is very much worth the watch.