Here we go again. After decades of non-stop war and death, the American public once again has fallen into the abyss of self delusion. Tragically, just as we neared the brink of reversal under Barack Obama, we are about to abdicate any claim whatsoever to respect or honor anywhere. We are now in the era of Donald Trump.
America consistently proclaims itself a nation of laws where justice is blind to privilege or class. And yet, as the world watches in disbelief, this country has once aagain become inextricably mired in debates about torture that defy reason. And that is because we are being sucked into the mindless illogic and lies of Donald Trump.
It is absolutely insane to discuss the possibility that a crime has some Machiavellian validity simply because, as Trump claims, it ‘works.’ And yet, that is what is happening.
Something is terribly wrong with this picture.
Here the facts. Check them out. They’re clear; they’re relatively simple to follow. Do the math.
Fact #1 - Torture is a crime under US Domestic, US Military and International Law
Fact # 2 – Photographs, video tapes and first hand testimony attesting to the illegal use of torture have been documented
Fact # 3 – George Bush, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice and the judge in charge of the military commission process at Gitmo all have admitted their roles in authorizing the use of torture.
No one was brought to trial. No one was charged with a crime. But that was then, and this is now. The only question remaining is: What the hell is left to debate?
Today, President Donald Trump - in his infinite idiocy - praised torture because' it works.' We know it does not, but Donald Trump plays the news cycles with his alternate facts.. He plays on fear and vengeance. He also plays on our own cowardice to speaak out against his insanity. So, torture is once again being debated. Kafka lives.
This is just the beginning. It will only get worse. For our own sakes, we must work together to grow the backbone be surrendered decades ago.
For if we do not, we will once again relive the farce of the Bush years, and we will deserve whatever retribution and revenge is perpetrated against us - as it will be. This is truly a defining moment for the people of the United States.
Torture is not a topic for debate. It is settled law. It is not who we are, or should be. It takes us all into the nightmarish world of Kafka as our frightening reality.
And that's a really hellish place.
