I was just watching the movie Tinman on DVD, and really enjoying the movie... that is until in section three the main characters (who are supposed to be the "good guys"!) decide to use torture to get one of the "bad guys" to talk. This sickened me, and has prompted me to write this, my first diary entry on DailyKos.
I have been commenting here and there, but I have been shy about posting a diary entry so far because the level of discourse is so high here, I wonder if I have anything to contribute... well, I am very upset right now, and I think I have something to share with you guys. If you would like to read what I think is a disturbing trend in American movies and television programmes and how I view it as an Hellenic Pagan, I invite you to read the following.
I found a bunch of links and information about torture if anyone would like me to post them, let me know.
I have been protesting military action since September 11th, 2001 when I feared that the US would blindly lash out at the "Muslim Nations" of the world because of the terrorist acts that occured that day. I feared that we would bomb countries - but even I could not forsee what the Bush Administration has actually done.
I have studied Weimar Germany and the period of the Third Reich for many years. I used to wonder what the German people felt like during the Third Reich, when war crimes and crimes against humanity were being conducted by their leaders. I had heard Elie Wiesel lecturing at my University, and something about his statement that he couldn't forgive the Germans for what they did during the Holocaust bothered me. I am half-Jewish - but I still wanted to be able forgive even the Nazis... I realize I can't really forgive them - they didn't hurt me, like they hurt Elie Wiesel, but still. They hurt some of my ancestors, and my grandparents lost family and loved ones because of them, but I still feel that they should be forgiven. I don't want to excuse them or their actions, but they as human beings should be forgiven for being human; their actions are inexcusable, but I want them to find the peace and love they were obviously in this life in their next life. Call me a hippie loveburger dipshit, but I'd really love it if everybody could find peace and happiness in both this life and the life to come - which is why I have some issues with certain modern faiths and personally believe in reincarnation/transmigration of souls... but I digress.
I want to forgive the German people - and watching Tinman made me realise why:
Seeing torture being depicted in an American television show (that many families watched together!) as being "normal" and "beneficial" made the light bulb in my head go off. I feel uneasy about what Elie Wiesel said about Germany because it makes me wonder about what people will be saying in five, ten, twenty or fifty years about us.
There are American TV shows and movies that show people being tortured - by the GOOD GUYS! It's considered okay for family consumption! It's illegal to show a woman's breast on television, but it is okay to show violations of human rights. It is okay to show abuse on television. I don't watch a lot of television - yeah, I'm a book nerd, so this is totally new and nauseating to me.
I can't believe that the party who advocates "Pro Life" and "family values" doesn't have a problem with actions that remind me of actions the Nazis took. I wonder if Nazis would have had programmes like this - openly advocating torture and maiming of victims in the name of "justice" and "protecting the country" - if they had the technology of TV.
Look at what has been done in the name of our country - the illegal invasion and occupation of a soverign nation, the killing of American soldiers in that invasion and occupation, and more.
And it doesn't stop with war. The American people are being lied to about prison camps like the German people were. The Bush Administration has set up torture camps just like the Nazis did under the T4 programme and during Die Endlösung - we all know about Abu Gharib, but what have we done about it? I feel guilty about it, but what have I personally done about it? Nothing. I can rationalise it by saying I have written my congress people and senators, or that I have protested it... but what has that done to help those imprisoned there? Nothing. Have I stopped a single torture? No. Is there anything that I can do to make sure that more prisoners aren't tortured? Make sure that the Republicans lose in November is a big step. Supporting Obama is another big step. We have to get out there and support Obama - he is the only person left running for President who didn't support the Iraq invasion. He is the one person who can stop this madness; Obama is our hope to lead us out of this darkness.
I hope that Obama can lead us out of the dark place that the Bush Administration brought us to. I hope that Obama can truly give us hope so that the fear, bigotry, hatred and violence of the past eight years can be healed. I worry what will become of our country, our culture, and us as a people if he doesn't win and this darkness continues to have its hold on us.
I'm tired of typing and am finished ranting now... thanks for reading.