What?

I think I’ll stick around as long as I’m not banned and still enjoying the blog. I’m just trying to stimulate some dialogue. Nothing personal here, really. My apologies if you or anyone has taken offense.

I agree that you and I haven’t had any fruitful conversation yet, but I’m hoping that will change with time.

With that, I’m done with this post as all productive conversation seems to have come and gone.

Hiding behind strict definitions and circular logic is just a torturer’s (or a torturer’s boss’s) way to justify inherently unethical activity.

The point when you decide to piss on the leg of the host of the party is the point when I decide you’re not worth the energy it takes to have a discussion with you.

Please go find another non-receptive blog to annoy. Or better yet, create your own blog, and see if you can get half as many people to read it as Freakgirl gets to read hers. Then come back and tell us all how fair of a moderator you are.

If I’m not mistaken, I think I was generalized as one who thinks opposing selective torture is silly.

Freakgirl, I suspect you think you’re pretty fair in moderating any debate that happens here, but I think you inadvertently favor GeekBoy for political (and other? wink-wink) reasons.

Also, this isn’t an essay-writing class. We can all think up scenarios where the greater good would be served by torturing one person, but that’s not what this post was about.

I agree with Jill. Ripping out my own pancreas as we speak.

Sounds similar to a “I can’t define pornography, but I know it when I see it” sort of thing. I like and hate that mindset because of its open-ended nature. If more and more things become classified as torture, pretty soon we won’t be allowed to hurt an enemy soldiers feelings (slipper slope fallacy, I know, but seriously, where will it end?).

Sandy, good stuff here: To me, that’s what makes a country civilized: the ability to both preach the Golden Rule and live it. Here’s my problem with it: while I wouldn’t want to be waterboarded, even more pressing is my desire to not be attacked my bomb-laden children and virgin-seeking terrorists. If I could save lives by volunteering to be subjected to waterboarding, I’d raise my hand. (at least, I’d like to think I’m brave enough to)

Geekboy, you see things awfully black and white for a lefty. What if you could save a life by interrogation through waterboarding? 10 lives? 1000? What if you could save your family? Be creative and think of the best possible reason to consider using “torture” and then tell me whether or not you think it would be worth it. I’m curious to see what you come up with.