Torture (II)
Torture is a difficult subject. I think that for Americans of a certain disposition – particularly those of us who grew up abroad – the idea of torture really cuts to the bone; a body blow against our self-identification as Americans. You don’t have to be Ward Churchill to recognize that America isn’t perfect, but carrying the passport of a country with such an honorable history has always felt very comforting. I don’t think it’s an accident that so many jaded expatriates feel the same way – there is something different about us, and I want to keep it that way.
Having said that, I’m perfectly willing to concede that torture may work under certain circumstances if Bush apologists are willing to admit the moral compromises inherent in any decision to severely mistreat a detainee. So here’s my decision-making calculus: We live in a country governed by a laws. We’re lucky enough to enjoy constitutional protections designed to prevent a wide spectrum of abuse, from administrative indifference to absolute tyranny. The rule of law is obviously very important to any functioning, constitutionally limited democracy. But beyond the practical concerns about the integrity of our legal system, we share (or at least profess to share) certain notions about the essential dignity of human life. For some, this comes from belief in God. For others, it derives (with apologies to John Schwenkler) from a gut feeling. Many of us also have the sense to recognize that torturing people has terrible consequences further down the road.
Precious few other countries have duplicated our experiment in limited government, most of whom were fortunate enough to inherit similar cultural and economic precursors. The circumstances that gave rise to American democracy are difficult to emulate, and when one examines the scope of humany misery that exists beyond our borders, it’s difficult not to thank God or Allah or Lady Luck for gracing us with free admittance to such an exclusive national club.
So our country is unique. And fragile. And worth defending. If preserving the moral and legal underpinnings of our constitutional system requires increasing our exposure to terrorism, that’s a risk I’m willing to take. So can we have a real debate about torture now?
And if torture becomes part of our national history, and in some circles identity?Report
Then, quite frankly, we’re fucked.Report
Maybe Americans will finally take off the rose-colored glassed with which their view their (our) country, as if it were the only one with a human rights tradition, or as if it had a perfect history. Many other Western countries have America beat on that score. That sounds harsh but as an American who has lived in Europe for a decade I am sick of all this uber-patriotism and collective handwringing. For a nation of “individualists” we are so collectivist and nationalistic that we sound like the Chinese or the Turks more than other Western countries. “America isn’t perfect, but carrying the passport of a country with such an honorable history has always felt very comforting”. How many of my Canadian and European friends think exactly the same thing about their countries. The US is an excellent country in some ways, but the US is hardly number one in any category. It made a terrible mistake with torture and Bush. But the most mature response – and the one that makes us look better abroad – is just for the government to become transparent, show what happened, apologize if necessary, promise not to do it again and move on. Every country has a dark side, all you can do is face it honestly. The US is a unique and valuable voice – among many good voices.Report
Sign me up.
Anyone that thinks America is not part of the global community should research Operation Ajax and its contribution to our current Iranian problems.
Actions have consequences.Report
Danilo –
Honestly, I hardly think anyone here at the League is guilty of over-romanticizing the United States or its history. My point was simply that the United States – as well as a select few other countries (most of which are in Europe) – is the product of a unique political tradition that is both a) very fragile and b) worth preserving.Report
“Torture is a difficult subject.”
No it’s not. Torture is a very easy subject–civilized people don’t do it. It’s the rationalizations for torture that are difficult.Report
If preserving the moral and legal underpinnings of our constitutional system requires increasing our exposure to terrorism, that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
I’m with you. I would phrase that from a Christian point of view rather than a constitutional one – but I don’t want my life to be defended by the use of torture. It’s not worth that.Report