Out of Gas...

"A lawyer defending Specialist Charles Graner, who is accused of being a ringleader in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, argued that piling naked prisoners in pyramids was a valid form of prisoner control.

"Don’t cheerleaders all over America form pyramids six to eight times a year. Is that torture?" said Guy Womack, Sergeant Graner’s lawyer, in opening arguments to the ten-member military jury at the reservist’s court martial."

Now there is an excellent example of blurring the lines. Rush Limbaigh has spent days defending the torture technics used by our government. Mr. Womack has opened the door for a bright prosecutor to put some cheerleaders on the stand and ask them if it would be ok to:

1: Force them onto a basketball court...
2: Forcibly, put bags over their heads...
3: Force them to strip, nude...or strip them...
4: Have them all pile into a 'pyramid'...
5: ...in front of their entire hometown...
6: ...and get their yearbook pictures taken.

Warning: Cattleprods (read tasers) and OC (read pepper spray) may be required.

I think it would be a good idea to interview their parents, too, you know, get a family feel for this non-torture episode.

The thing that gets me is everytime I hear about this issue, no one asks why these prisoners would agree to do this. The idea of force doesn't seem to enter anyone's mind. What would it take to get you , dear reader, to comply to such demands. Of course, we all heard about the guy who refused...Specialist Graner beat him unconcious. Yup, no pain or damage there.

Basically your government is made up of animals. Anyone supporting this kind of crap is only a blury line away from applying it to the citizens of his/her own country, his/her friends, his/her children, his/her parents or his/her spouse. That is why we stay away from the slippery slopes. One false move and your values fall like dominos. There is no justification for this.

Inara: Mal... come with us.
Mal: Can't. Four to a shuttle, Inara. Four.
Inara: One more. You know it can't make a difference. Not now.
Mal: I'm not leaving Serenity.
Inara: Mal -- you don't have to die alone.
Mal: Everybody dies alone.
-From the Firefly episode "Out of Gas"