I listened to a news report just the other day with growing disgust and shame. The news report focused on the disappearance of CIA tapes of the torture of Abu Zubaydah. There were so many things to be disgusted and ashamed about in that report that I have found it difficult to sort out and condense my thoughts.
Certainly one of the items in that news report that really crystallized me was the fact that the news service chose to call water boarding "harsh" interrogation. So imagine, tying or taping another human's hands behind his back. Taping or tying his feet together. Taping or tying his legs and knees into a position where he cannot kick. Imagine doing all of this while that human resists with all of his person. Struggling, fighting, crying, screaming, praying, resisting. Then imagine tying him to a board. This person, this human is now completely immobile, completely at your mercy, completely helpless. Now the job is to drown him. Pour so much water on his face, mouth and nose that when he attempts to breathe he inhales water. Or to mix it up put his head in a tub of water and keep it there till he has to breathe. Sure he will vomit, sure he will cry, sure he will scream. He may have to be resuscitated but that will not stop the torture. Are you repulsed, sick to your stomach? I am.
That is torture. Plain and simple. Our government is torturing human beings in our name. I am disgusted and ashamed and sick to my stomach.
So, to any one in a position of power, to anyone in any form of our government, on my behalf and as a human being, I am rescinding and revoking any and all permission, implied or explicit to torture any being, for any and all reasons. Your actions of torturing are not protecting me or my family. I find all excuses for that behavior wrong. Torture, and all of its politically correct euphemisms, does not serve the long term or short term interests of me, my family, my friends or my country. Torturing any human being for any excuse is simply and clearly wrong.
Please join me in publicly declaring your opposition to the actions of our government. Please join me in declaring torture unacceptable. This issue and this issue alone is all of the reason we need to throw the sick, sadistic, torturing officials out of office. We deserve better, the world deserves better and humanity demands better.
Bill Amaya
Hailey
