Torture
“Although a democracy must often fight with one hand
tied behind its back, it nonetheless has the upper hand.”
– The Israeli Supreme Court –
The Bottom Line
The use of torture should be unequivocally and unapologetically rejected in any form. Our core national values are the most valuable currency we have. We must always strive to be champions of human rights, justice, and the rule of law.
Six Reasons Torture Should Be Rejected
The Use of Torture Goes Against Every Single Thing This Country Stands For
If we believe ourselves to be truly exceptional – and hold ourselves as a model for the world to follow – we simply cannot tolerate any activity that erodes our national values. Torture is egregious and a brutal violation of human rights, even in time of war. Torture not only corrupts our military, but it also badly damages our global prestige and threatens our international power.
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, reckless decisions made in the name of U.S. national security proved to have long-term ramifications – legally, politically, and in our relationships with allies abroad.
The egregious overreach of the George W. Bush administration – which enabled severe and unacceptable mistakes (i.e., torture, Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib) – sowed distrust and division within our citizenship, called into question our national core values, and threatened our global image as a world leader. Quite simply, this episode in our history made us look like complete hypocrites.