Torture in the 21st century
In the rapidly changing 21st century, American values have come under fire. Have no doubt about it; our Constitution and individual liberties have faced almost a decade of subtle decay in the name of security. Not so sure? Consider this: today, the government can tap your phone lines, monitor your Internet activity, search you without a warrant, arrest you without charges, and hold you indefinitely without counsel. All these things Americans have accepted in the name of protection.
While many Americans may be uncomfortable with the changes at hand, we allow them to persist. This may have more to do with public perception than lack of organization or motivation. Underneath each modification of civil liberties, we have chosen to see a noble aspiration: our collective safety.
Yet not every new law threatens our freedoms. To be fair, we must acknowledge that the balance of government power and individual liberty is likely something that changes to fit the times. The citizenry has often been the catalyst of these changes. When Rodney King was beaten in March 1991, public outcry resulted in new groups, such as Copwatch, that attempt to limit police authority. Conversely, crime conditions in mid-90’s New York City impelled the public to demand a drastically increased police presence in the city.
Through all of these changes, however, Americans continually strive to maintain the dignity of human rights that has made our country a strong, morally sound example to the world. Despite the variety of each election cycle, with our perpetual oscillation between liberal and conservative ideals, a majority of Americans do not tolerate abominable acts directed towards other human beings. Thus, we face a discrepancy. Citizens have accepted measures that are designed to increase security at the cost of their rights. At the same time, Americans on the whole decry human rights violations when they occur.
At the crossroads of these conflicting forces is one of the most controversial issues of our time: torture.
Imagine that a bomb is set to go off in one hour in your hometown. You have captured the man responsible. He isn’t telling you anything, and why should he? He expects to die, like everyone else who does not flee the city. Would you resort to using force? Just how far would you go to learn where the bomb was hidden?
Likewise, imagine that you are a citizen of Iraq. A non-discerning CIA agent has accused you of being a war criminal, and you are taken into custody. Rather than being given a lawyer, a trial, or even formal charges, you are subjected to humiliation. You are blindfolded, deprived of sleep, and subjected to waterboarding. Every right you have is disregarded.
Both of these examples illustrate the immense diversity of circumstances that must be considered when taking a stance on torture. Like with most dilemmas, extreme conditions cause our sense of morality to break down, and we are capable of doing terrible things. Though never fully justified, actions taken under intense stress are at least understandable.
Therefore, Generation Y, the question we must ask is simple: how dire is the situation? Have global circumstances justified America’s decision to disregard not only our own Bill of Rights, but the Geneva Conventions and a multitude of other laws as well? As always, the final decision lies with you. However, our cohort has been presented with the first truly potent threat to the Bill of Rights in years. The responsibility to be informed lies with us all.
This is the first article in a three-part series on Torture in America.
Category: U.S.
