LARK Program- political humor

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Sorry, I will not buy the internment camp argument.

Then what do you think they are being rounded up for?

[SacTown Chronic]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

But as I said, it's not a joke at all, it truly is the argument given by people. "It's okay to torture the prisoners because they're really really bad." Nope, I don't see the humor in that.

And to really smear shiit on the American flag, it seems that many think it's okay to detain and torture those who are not terrorists.

Using 9/11 as an excuse to disregard basic human deceny makes me sick. Doing it while hiding behind an American flag makes me angry.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Look, it's not like liberals love people that are "sociopathic and extremely violent" or that "view females as a subhuman form of property". I sure as hell don't. But I don't support torture, or detaining anyone we damn well please, no matter how horrible I view their culture.

Conservatives just don't get this, I guess.

[SacTown Chronic]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

Where I disagree is the defintion of torture and how far we should go to obtain information that may save thousands if not millions of lives.

Who says we'd know what to do with the information?

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by SacTown Chronic

Who says we'd know what to do with the information?

Good point.

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

Really not fair, since I did not say we should do this. I said it would be more in accord with international law then the "sweeps"....and I am right, it would be.

OK

In the interest of being fair...

I do not believe it is proper to level an entire neighborhood, killing everyone that lives there, in order to stop a couple of terrorists that may, or may not, be there, especially since we now know that whatever terrorists are there are due to our bungling of operations in Afghanistan.

Now... That's what I think. I hope that's clear.

What do YOU think?

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

OK

In the interest of being fair...

I do not believe it is proper to level an entire neighborhood, killing everyone that lives there, in order to stop a couple of terrorists that may, or may not, be there, especially since we now know that whatever terrorists are there are due to our bungling of operations in Afghanistan.

Now... That's what I think. I hope that's clear.

What do YOU think?

I think we should do what we are doing(which we are doing in order to AVOID what you describe above).........

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

You may notice that the "joke" in the OP was not ridiculing terrorists but rather people who dont' support torture. Secondly, if it were a joke, it would be one thing. But as I said, it's not a joke at all, it truly is the argument given by people. "It's okay to torture the prisoners because they're really really bad." Nope, I don't see the humor in that.

Correction- the OP does not even mention torture. It mocks those who are more concerned about the "rights and comforts" of terrorists. It does not condone torture, and by proxy, when I posted it, nor did I. (you will note this "letter" refers to the war in Afghanistan-over two years ago)

And I certainly "get it", it was an extreme lampooning- which I note seems to be fine when conservatives are the target.

[scaeagles]

A couple of side points.

Terrorists are not protected by the Geneva Convention because they are not signatories of it. They do not abide by the Geneva convention, and do not have any basis of claim to the protections proscribed therein. In fact, I believe that terrorists are specifically excluded as being protected by the Geneva convention, as only uniformed soldiers are. This is why spies could legally be shot during times of war. That being said.....

Certain things are not acceptable. I do not condone torture in any way. However, I do not necessarily regard certain interrogation techniques as torture. Sleep deprivation and the like.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Look, whatever it's referring to, and who the Geneva Convention covers, is beyond any of this. It comes down to the very principals that this country was founded on being ignored for "the good of the country." And to me, that undermines "the good of the country" more than anything. I don't care who is attacking who, what methods they are using, what international law says, or what information we may or may not obtain. If this country doesn't believe enough in it's basic underpinnings to stand by them no matter what, and not abandon them because we're scared, then what the hell is the point? And those underpinnings say you do not hold people without charge, you do not inflict cruel and unusual punishment, and people are innocent until proven guilty. Those are blatantly being ignored, and whether it's towards our own citizens or anyone else, it shows a lack of faith in what should be making this the greatest country in the world.

Then what do you think they are being rounded up for?

You misunderstand me. What I meant was, I don't buy internment as a valid reason for detaining people. "We're holding you for your own protection" is a load of crap and it's what lead to the Japanese internement during WWII. It's inhumane. We're not talking evacuation. Evacuation involves the Red Cross and refugee camps. No, we're talking arests and detainment.