Didn't you hear? 'Freedom' really means 'Freedom to torture!' POLL

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Tuesday December 06, 2005 · 9:32 PM PST

2005/12/06 · 21:32

Don't infringe on my liberties! My freedom is worth everyone else's! My freedom gives me the right to torture those who may upset my fragile free world!

Apparently, a majority of the people in the freest of the free countries (you know, the freedom lovers, the U.S., U.K., France, etc.), believe that torture can be justified. Even after all we have seen, all the abuses of power, they trust our fearless leaders to make smart choices and only torture those who, you know, had it coming.

Most Americans and a majority of people in Britain, France and South Korea say torturing terrorism suspects is justified at least in rare instances, according to AP-Ipsos polling.
<snip>
In America, 61 percent of those surveyed agreed torture is justified at least on rare occasions. Almost nine in 10 in South Korea and just over half in France and Britain felt that way.

openYourEyes

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Saturday November 12, 2005 · 5:06 AM PST

2005/11/12 · 05:06

THE LESSON UNLEARNED

I cried today
Remembering that which "ended" six years before I began
I cried today
Over the suffering we caused
Over the suffering we cause
In the name of good
I cried today
We have unlearned everything

-openYourEyes (2005)

I was moved to tears today on the Shonan Shinjuku Line in Tokyo. I wept openly amongst strangers who think me strange by default. What moved me to tears was not anything in my environment, but a poweful account of our nation's forray into Indochina. Today I finished reading The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990. Read More

Abnormal Weather - A Fable of Perspective

openYourEyes

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Sunday October 30, 2005 · 6:23 AM PST

2005/10/30 · 06:23

Abnormal Weather - A Fable of Perspective

    A general was drinking in the camp in a cold winter's night. Candles were lighted and coal was burning well in the stove. After a few bowlfuls of wine, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
    "Extraordinary weather we're having this year!" said the general. "When it should be cold, it's warm."
    His words were heard by his orderly, who was standing outside in the cold. Entering the tent, he knelt repectfully before the general and said, "The weather seems normal enough where your servant was standing, sir."

Notes of Xue Tao

What can we learn from this? Read More

Your Purpose in Discourse and Debate - Inspired by Kid Oakland and Armando

openYourEyes

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Friday October 28, 2005 · 10:16 AM PDT

2005/10/28 · 10:16

This diary was inspired by the houflah that erupted in response to Kid Oakland's recent diary.

And while I wanted to ask this question of Armando, it is one that we should all ask ourselves when we enter into discourse and debate.

What is your purpose for entering into any given discourse/debate?

It seems that there are two reasons that most people here join in:
a) to say what they think
b) to change how someone else thinks

What is your reason? Your answer should dictate how you participate in said discourse. Read More

The Money Made at the Expense of the Student Athlete

openYourEyes

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 18, 2005 · 8:26 AM PDT

2005/10/18 · 08:26

I caught this over at ESPN. A men's college basketball player is sitting out rather than don the brand of shoe his school is contractually obligated to wear. This player believes he will be placing his physical health and future ability to play at risk should he wear this shoe.

Is it acceptable for our universities to punish players for accepting money from shoe companies while receiving money from those same companies for essentially the same service?

The sports programs at many major universities are main sources of campus income. Do we encourage putting that income ahead of a player's physical health, yet refuse to allow him or her the right to that same avenue of income? Read More

Americans Got Off Light With Katrina

openYourEyes

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday September 15, 2005 · 8:38 AM PDT

2005/09/15 · 08:38

To make myself appear less of a monster, I will preface what I have to say with this: I am an American, and like most dKos readers, I love my country. And while I harbor the strongest feelings of disdain and anger at the actions of my government (again, like most dKos readers), I would never wish for the blood of my fellow countrymen (and women) to pay for those actions. I feel tremendous sorrow that a failure of the goverment (which most of us here already knew to be full of incompetent and/or vile, self-centered windbags) has helped exacerbate the suffering of those affected by Katrina. I wish them all success in rebuilding their homes and their lives.

BUT. Some people in the world aren't so lucky as to be able to rebuild. If we look at America's folly in the middle-east (or any country with war on its home soil), it appears as if we got off pretty light. We have it easy.
Read More

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Didn't you hear? 'Freedom' really means 'Freedom to torture!' *POLL*

I cried today - The Lesson Unlearned

Abnormal Weather - A Fable of Perspective

Your Purpose in Discourse and Debate - Inspired by Kid Oakland and Armando

The Money Made at the Expense of the Student Athlete

Americans Got Off Light With Katrina

Didn't you hear? 'Freedom' really means 'Freedom to torture!' POLL