You may remember that the U.S. military was testing a so-called pain ray in Afghanistan. It produced some minor controversy.
Several weeks ago, site co-founder Sharon Weinberger and I started pestering the military about the decision to send a microwave heat ray gun to Afghanistan. Blasting the locals with an invisible pain beam, we suggested, might not be the optimal way to promote trust in the Kabul and Washington governments.The system was withdrawn from Afghanistan back in July. But now they found a better place to test it, on U.S. prisoners in California.
The 7½-foot-tall Assault Intervention Device emits a focused, invisible ray that causes an unbearable heating sensation in its targets – hopefully stopping inmates from fighting or doing anything other than trying to get out of its way, sheriff's officials said.This is yet another example of why I laugh at the hysterical overreaction of those who whine about the U.S. using some torture techniques on terrorist prisoners. How many times have you heard some fool bleat about how torture is "un-American," in complete ignorance or denial about not only history, but what goes on in our domestic prison system? There are numerous people who have an incredibly expansive definition of torture that encompasses almost any coercive technique, or even threats. But what about an invisible ray that makes people feel like their skin is on fire? As long as we use it to enforce compliance in U.S. prisons instead of extracting information from enemy prisoners, there's no problem.
Throughout the U.S., American citizens who have been convicted of no crime are regularly shocked into submission to police by a serious jolt of electricity from tasers. There are all sorts of nasty techniques used to control prisoners in jail -- techniques which many would consider torture. The rationale for using this pain ray is to break up fights in prison. What are the odds that it might be abused and used for other less justifiable purposes? But don't worry, it's not that big a deal, unless we were to use it in an attempt to interrogate foreign enemies who would like nothing better than to slaughter thousands of Americans.
You're very deadpan here, David, which creates a danger of being misunderstood (a danger I often flirt with myself).
ReplyDeleteYou are being sarcastic about the Eighth Amendment implications of using an invisible pain ray on domestic prisoners, right?
Yes, although I'm sure the argument is that is won't be used for punishment, but just to break up fights. But there's a pretty fine line between a justified intervention and punishment. And as far as specifically cruel and unusual, it's definitely unusual, unless they start mass producing and deploying them in jails.
ReplyDeleteI find this post completely illogical.
ReplyDeleteSo are you trying to argue (without evidence) that the same people who would object to the ray gun being used on insurgents in Afghanistan would not object to it being used on prisoners? And that therefore their arguments are without merit? What a strange argument! In any case, I think you might find that many of the same people who oppose torture on "illegal combatants" would also be disgusted with the US prison system.
Also, are you arguing that because some Americans use torture that it's therefore wrong to call torture un-American? Ideas of equality, freedom and liberty are written into the American constitution. Even though not everyone in the US subscribes to those ideals, they are still American values.
In the same way, some Christians behave in an un-Christian manner.
This is not an example of "no true Scotsman", I'm merely saying that I think American values are determined by what the majority of Americans believe, both now and (to a lesser extent) in the past.
"I find this post completely illogical."
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why, unless you didn't understand it.
"So are you trying to argue (without evidence) that the same people who would object to the ray gun being used on insurgents in Afghanistan would not object to it being used on prisoners?"
No, although there certainly appears to be far less outrage about the domestic use of torture or near torture.
"Also, are you arguing that because some Americans use torture that it's therefore wrong to call torture un-American?"
Yes. Calling torture un-American is illogical, given that it has been employed throughout our history, and is arguably employed on a regular basis in certain forms in our prison system. Just because something is unpleasant, controversial or even illegal doesn't make it un-American. Is theft un-American? How about political corruption?
" Even though not everyone in the US subscribes to those ideals, they are still American values."
If you use a broad definition of torture, as most of the loudest torture opponents do, then opposition to torture is not and has never been an American value.
" I'm merely saying that I think American values are determined by what the majority of Americans believe, both now and (to a lesser extent) in the past."
The majority of Americans believe that torture is justified under certain circumstances.