On torture... the right, fantasies, and the media...

[nadinbrzezinski]

why is it that somebody like Santorum keeps insisting that torture works, going so far as to call McCain, a victim of torture... and ignorant boob? What we are seeing is the strange psychology of the authoritarian personality coupled with our fantasies of what works and what does not work.

Think of 24... as a paradigm... think of insert cop shop here, where you have low levels of pretty intense interrogation... bad cop, worst cop techniques... think of war movies... where only the tough hombres of the US Military fail to break... or are rescued as they are about to break.

Think of those images, and couple them with the Authoritarian right that psychologically needs a daddy.

This is what you are seeing, once again, openly displayed. It does not matter that Rummy contracted himself in the same week... pick a side, either it works or it doesn't (It doesn't)

But in the fantasy where these hard right fanatics live... god is great, and punishes too... even tortures. And of course we are able to use this... and yes it works like a charm. It is quite a sick culture, if you ask me... but one we need to face and yes... confront.

(And in case anybody is wondering... our "own side' is also able to fall into the 24 mentality, no we are not above it)

[The Magistrate]

1. The Problem, Ma'am, is That All Discussion Of Torture Is Dishonest

The claim is that it is to secure information, especially preventive information, but this is not true.

The fact is that the techniques employed were developed to 'persuade' people to make false statements, to make them confess to things they had not done, to implicate people in crimes they knew nothing of.

The motive for torture is to terrorize actual and potential opponenets, to make people dread to be taken by the gendarmerie. If well aimed, that is, if arrests are generally of people actually opposing the government or occupying power or what have you, this can actually work to some degree, since people will see that safety lies in acquiesence. If arrests take up as many if not more innocents and bystanders than participants, this will in fact work to increase the level of opposition, since many will prefer to be hanged for a sheep than a lamb, if the risk seems the same at best.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. absolutely, that is the reality

but we also have an element of fantasy and WHAT THE RIGHT WISHES they could do to you and me.

:hi: by the way, I hope you are well

[The Magistrate]

3. Oh, It is Certainly Fantasy, Ma'am

A lot of these people need more 'quality time' with professionals....