[extropy-chat] Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment

[J. Andrew Rogers]

On Dec 19, 2005, at 8:57 PM, Olga Bourlin wrote:
> The Nation has devoted a big portion of its issue on the subject of  
> torture (although Bush says the US does not torture prisoners)


Unfortunately, the media and political class have stripped all  
denotative value and most of the connotative value from the word  
"torture".  Much like they have done with "terrorist".  The  
homeopathic dilution of the words render any argument based on their  
presumed definitions worthless.  A significant portion of the apathy  
is the result of this fact, and the media and politicians have only  
themselves to blame.

I will listen to justifications and rationalizations that require  
"torture" and "terrorist" when those words actually mean something.   
As things currently stand, everyone on this mailing list is a  
"tortured" "terrorist" in some fashion or another.


J. Andrew Rogers