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Oh what are you not happy about? |
International Level: Diplomat / Political Participation: 320 32%
Well I suppose its alright if it's used in the proper manner, for instance i dont know if you guys read the book 1984, but basically they tortured winston and other people in the pass into confussing to crimes that they didnt and they got them to confuss by torture. Of course they didnt tell anyone that, they left out that little detail.
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Well I suppose its alright if it's used in the proper manner |
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 3238 100%
Torture violates basic human rights and human decency. Torture should never be used. I have read through the thread and disagree that there is ever a proper time or way to torture a person. I cant understand how anyone can look upon the causing of extreme pain and harm as a way to get something out of someone.
What if the person you are torturing ends up being innocent and didn't have the information you wanted? What then of your methods, an innocent has suffered for no reason. Torture is used because people respond quickly to extreme pain. Torture is inhumane and a horrible practice no matter what person, race, or culture the person is.
I don't think all forms of torture cause extreme pain. I think discomfort is fine. For example, sleep deprivation is a form of torture. I don't consider that to be against basic human rights or human decency. I think there are times when certain "extreme" measures must be taken. You can't just ask someone nicely to please tell us the names of their leaders and inform us of their plans for destruction because we really want to know. If there isn't some "incentive" why would they ever tell anything?
International Level: Diplomat / Political Participation: 320 32%
There are a lot of movies that have dealt with various aspects of this question. I think it was Ransom with Harrison Ford, where the father of a boy becomes so frantic about saving his son, that he is willing to go to any extreme.
So, if your child is kidnapped and in extreme danger of losing her life, and you had your hands, with no doubt, upon the perpetrator, or even a person who KNOWS the perpetrator, would you not perform the torture yourself to save her?
I am reminded of the very real case in the 1970s, of a young woman who was kidnapped and buried alive in a box with a limited amount of air. If I had gotten my hands on the kidnapper, and he glibly smiled at all the questions about her location, I would be the first to be finding any method of torture available to get the information and save her life.
It isn't always about establishing guilt or innocence. Neither is it always a political thing. Sometimes it is literally life or death. Without access to 100% reliable "truth drugs" or telepathy, I think there will always be some situations where torture will be used, and justifiably so (even if not justifiable under the law).
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 854 85.4%
Thats allot harder to make that kind of judgement when your own child is involved. I still believe that torture is wrong in that situation, but I cant say that I wouldn't condone it to save my child. The acceptance of torture to save your child doesn't necessarily mean its right, it just means that I would be willing to go to any extreme to save my child. I concede that there are situation where torture maybe necessary to get information, sometimes extreme measures are needed to solve extreme situations. But I still think that the need doesn't justify its inhumanity. Sometimes it is necessary, but its still an awful horrible thing to do to another human being.
I don't consider sleep deprivation torture:
tor·ture ( P ) Pronunciation Key (tôrchr)
n.
Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion.
An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain.
Excruciating physical or mental pain; agony: the torture of waiting in suspense.
Something causing severe pain or anguish.
Sleep deprivation is not causing mental anguish, it is the dulling down of ones senses by means of lack of sleep. You both have brought up excellent points and have forced me to look at the subject in a different light!