How many households tune into The View? Apparently around 4.42 million for the 18-34 group. How many blog-readers click onto FA discussion threads? 300? A thousand?
Can you understand why stupidity persists on American daytime tv and how that affects public attitudes, knowledge and opinions?
There is a peculiar aspect to the debate over the use of waterboarding on terrorist detainees. Those who have actually experienced the procedure first hand insist it is ineffective at best and torture at worst. Those who couldn’t be more removed from its employment argue that it works in thwarting terrorist attacks.
On Monday’s taping of The View, former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura — who was waterboarded as part of his military training — repeated the mantra he offered last week, calling waterboarding torture and demanding criminal prosecution for those who authorized it.
“I would prosecute the people who did it,” he said. “I would prosecute the people who ordered it. And they would all go to jail.”
His opponent in the debate was none other than the conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who insisted that the technique worked in breaking down al Qaeda suspects.
The exchange was good-natured and lively, with Ventura asking some leading rhetorical questions before making a few rather provocative political points.
“If waterboarding is OK, why don’t we let our police do it to suspects so they can learn what they know?” he asked. “If waterboarding is OK, why didn’t we waterboard [Timothy] McVeigh and Nichols, the Oklahoma City bombers, to find out if there were more people involved? … We only seem to waterboard Muslims… Have we waterboarded anyone else? Name me someone else who has been waterboarded.”
Jesus frakkin’ Cripes….the bozone layer is impenetrably thick around this one…what is it with Minnesota’s choice of governors, anyway?! What’s sad is this 9/11 Truther and (Ron) Paul bearer, this former WWF entertainer, will command some level of credibility amongst the viewing audience because he was a former governor and former SEAL UDT frogman, riding on the reputation of SEALs (thanks, Hard Right!).
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
Maybe Jesse, your examples of American criminals are AMERICAN CITIZENS & as thus have Constitutional rights not afforded to Non-Uniformed Enemy Combatants!!!
For a x-Governor, he sure is dense. No wonder he was only a 1 termer.
As well, for someone that claims to be a staunch ‘Independent,’ he sure is always out schilling for the left, bigtime.
I used to actually like the guy. Oh well.
tahDeetz
Jesse Ventura was never a SEAL. He was Sea Bee, but that is all. As was stated, he’s also a delusional whack job and a liar.
http://cursor.org/stories/seal_or_udt.htm
From searching about the phony SEAL I can see the loony left is have a goregasm over his desire to waterboard Cheney. They are being taking in by yet another fraud because his words sound like the ones they spew. Mentally ill morons.
Ok … So, I had a decision to make.
Watch the above video, or a video of jihadists torturing and cutting off fingers, beheading some guy, and blowing up prisoners.
Which do you think I watched?
The America hating View and that loony former Gov of Minnesota are irrelevant.
We need more FA viewers.
He brings up a good point: why don’t we let cops use waterboarding?
ANSWER: ’cause killing burning, crushing, and otherwise murdering 3000 people along with leveling 2 zip codes and sending the nation into recession as well as war…is an act of war-not a criminal act.
Another good point: if we’re supposed to be the good guys, how can we justify using torture?
ANSWER: ’cause good guys need to be feared as well as loved, and that’s why desperate means like EIT are used as a last resort, used rarely, and kept secret (unless Dems want to make political hay to score Bush-hate-points)
Someone please tell Joy that KSM was captured AFTER the invasion of Iraq; when the case for war was already irrelevant.
You douchebags put stormfront to shame.
Go back to MN or wherever he was. Hell back to wrestling would be better. Why in the heck do they give these moron’s air time. Oh…i forgot…he is liberal.
The mainstream media wouldn’t do it. So we are trying to get your important messages to the American people. 27 This post is a suggested read at, http://aresay.blogspot.com/
@tsoldrin:
That comment was directed at Ventura the Paul Pot, and the wailing banshees of the View, right?
If not, please elaborate further.
@Scott Malensek:
I thought it was an awful point for reasons already stated by tahDeetz. Scott’s answer also holds water, since extreme circumstances can sometimes call for extreme measures. I’m with Mark Bowden who thinks torture (real torture that goes beyond waterboarding and caterpillering) is justifiable if the situation demands it, but should be kept illegal, so as to not encourage large-scale abuses:
I might imperfectly analogize it this way: Jaywalking is against the law. Yet what if I saw a child’s life in danger of being hit by a car and ran out into the street to save his life? Sure, fine me with the jaywalking ticket; or dismiss the violation by understanding the circumstance that prompted the act of violating the law.
Also, read Thomas Sowell:
The same people who think pro wrestling is real support a phony wrestler and made O’Dumbo POTUS. What a shock…
FTR,
I have no problem w/ making a murder-minded towelhead ‘think’ he is about to drown on dry land.
The mind can be a very powerful thing. That’s the whole idea behind WaterBoarding.
The unmitigated douchbaggerry from the left is simple unfathomable on this issue.
So, Jesse’s SEAL bona fides are questionable. Figures.
The vast majority of Special Force types I have had the privilege to know, never brag about their accomplishments. They simply don’t have to. Their reputation precedes them & speaks volumes.
The vast majority of SF braggarts I know, are simply liars.
tahDeetz
@ Hard Right
Wow, awesome read. Thanks.
Tsoldrin, me thinks thou doest project too much.
Isn’t Jesse Ventura kind of now in the same sensational category as Jenine Gerafalo and Wanda Sykes? Their careers are hurting and in need of a boost, perhaps?
Maybe we could send them to Gitmo to see what kind of people (hard to call them people) they are defending so profusely.
Why does he not call for the prosecution of those who waterboarded him? Let me get this right, Ok to waterboard SEALs in training, not Ok to waterboard terrorism plotters.
While I also hold high disgust for ‘the scum of the earth’ mentioned, I have to take a stance against torture (and yes, pseudo-torture). I find the disrespect for Mr. Ventura’s military service and the consideration of some that torture may be ‘acceptable’ to be sickening:
In regards to it’s use on suspects or prisoners in American jails: Amendment 8 – Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. A prisoner has the right to remain silent. The “third degree” or torture is a heinous violation of such Consitutional rights, and violates due process The SCOTUS recognizes that “due process” prohibits punishment before a trial has taken place, and it is the Judge’s place to prescribe penalties, not law enforcement (separation of powers).
The US government on many occasions has proudly, and with nobleness firmly declared that the United States will not torture. The problem with the “unlawful civilian combatants” argument is that neither the Geneva Convention nor the UN convention provides for any distinction between what is allowed on civilian or military suspects/prisoners. (Notice that, as this is a treaty, these rules also apply towards the treatment of a signature country’s own citizens.)
The Geneva Convention http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm
United Nations Convention Against Torture,: http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html#Article 1.1
Both of these conventions trump our country’s own Uniform Code of Military Justice, insomuch as persons in custody are concerned. (Not the other way around): http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/a/ucmjart2.htm
Whether the torture of suspects/prisoners “saves lives” or not, is not germane. Torture is clearly prohibited by Federal and International law. Nor do I find the advising lawyer’s ‘technicalities’ arguments compelling or an excuse. The only important question is whether “water boarding” or the other “interrogation methods” used are considered torture.
If any of what I wrote should make any Democrat readers feel smug, DON’T! Given the current Pelosi CIA war, the Democrats would be wise to drop the “war crimes” talk, as if the want to bring charges against Bush’s administration, they’ll have to bring charges on many members of Congress and other government/military officials as well. Nor was Janet Reno and the Clinton administration record any better regarding their handling of the “Branch Davidian” stand-off.
I’ve said my piece and I don’t care whose feathers it ruffles. That’s my opinion. Take it as you will.