Monday, April 27, 2009

Torture

As you surely know, torture has been a big topic for a while now. It's a sad world we live in when this is even questioned as an available choice.

Unless you're enemy is stupid, those that know the information will never give it up, and those that would give up information don't know it. The more important point is that, most simply, torturing used as a weapon against terrorism is an oxymoron. Torturing is, without question, terrorism.

Sadly, America, at least during the Bush administration, was the biggest terrorist nations in the world. Don't worry, my explanation follows:

From Wikipedia's entry on terrorism, with my own links afterwards to display where America as performed each of these actions: Terrorism is, most simply, policy intended to intimidate or cause terror. It is more commonly understood as an act which (1) is intended to create fear (terror), (2) is perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a materialistic goal or a lone attack), and (3) deliberately targets (or disregards the safety of) non-combatants. Some definitions also include acts of unlawful violence or unconventional warfare, but at present, there is no internationally agreed upon definition of terrorism.

(1) Just search Google images for Iraq torture.

(2) A quote from George W Bush, before entering office: "Tomorrow, I will take an oath and deliver an inaugural address. You'll be pleased to hear I'm not going to deliver it twice. But I will speak about freedom. This is the cause that unites our country and gives hope to the world and will lead us to a future of peace. We have a calling from beyond the stars to stand for freedom, and America will always be faithful to that cause."

Now I'm not saying Bush is the only one to subscribe to dogma and narrow world views, but this quote is a compact display of one.

American ideology of freedom is that of freedom of democracy (not from it. I'm not arguing whether or not democracy is right or wrong, just that it shouldn't be forced on anyone), Freedom of religion (many will argue that doesn't mean freedom from religion, though. Just ask them if 'under god' should be taken out of the pledge of allegiance), freedom of speech (that's why the ' Free speech zones' are setup where no one can hear you), and plenty of others I don't care to list.

One of the main problems America has in it's ideology is that, at least for most Americans, ego is a major deal. America is an insanely egotistical nation. "We have a calling from beyond the stars". Yes, someone's god has chosen us to lead the rest of the world.

Really, I don't want to waste my time arguing this. Basically, America's ideology isn't perfect and, until it is, there's no reason to force it on anyone. Share it? Yes. Force it? Never.

(3) Use of white phosphorus is chemical warfare which is used to intimidate and cause fear, so this one also works for the first point but, in this article it speaks of a corporal Nicholas Bogert. It says: "Bogert is a mortar team leader who directed his men to fire round after round of high explosives and white phosphorus charges into the city Friday and Saturday, never knowing what the targets were or what damage the resulting explosions caused."

If you don't know much about white phosphorus, here's an image of what a wound from it looks like: (DON'T CLICK THIS LINK IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED) A very minor wound.

Okay, I know I really strayed from topic to topic on this one, but my whole point is that, most assuredly, America is nothing close to perfect. We need to admit our flaws and, if we want to help the rest of the world, stop doing the evil we're trying to stop. Torture is barbaric. I don't care if, in limited cases, it gets the job done. I know there's plenty of hypothetical cases people can make up where it is useful but it still don't contradict the fact that torture is inhumane.

As a last note, I don't care about 'under god' being taken out of the 'pledge of allegiance'. We just need to skip that step and take the 'pledge of allegiance' out of America. I will never pledge my allegiance to an imperfect nation. I will pledge my allegiance to freedom of speech, equality, or any other good, unchanging value. I will never pledge my allegiance to something like a country. Besides the pledge of allegiance is only useful for brainwashing small children.

Friday, April 24, 2009

The Catholic church is stupid.

I have given up on the Catholic church. Completely given up. They are idiocy and evil combined.

Why do I believe this? This is why.

To summarize the story: A 9-year old, Brazilian girl was raped by her stepfather. She got pregnant with twins. When her mother took her to the hospital the doctors told her they doubt the girls body could bear the pregnancy.

Under Brazil's laws abortion is legal in cases of rape or where the mother's life is in danger. In the case of the 9-year old, both were true, so they aborted the twins.

Now then, who's in the wrong? Who did evil? Logic, at least in my opinion, says the stepfather.

The Vatican disagrees with me. They swooped in and assured us it was the mother for allowing the abortion and the doctors for performing it. They were all excommunicated from the Catholic church for it.

Here's a quote from Archbishop José Cardoso Sobrinho in reference to the father: "He committed a serious crime, but . . . there are many other serious sins. Abortion is more serious."

Yes, you read that right. Raping a 9-year old is not as bad as that same 9-year old getting an abortion so she won't die during the pregnancy.

Maybe I understand sex better then catholics but, as I see it, if the girl hadn't been raped she wouldn't have gotten pregnant. I know, I'm fucking crazy to draw that conclusion. It's as if the stepfather caused the whole problem in the first place, but is he excommunicated? Fuck no, he's not as evil as those doctors that chose to rectify his action and save a little girls life.

But wait, the catholic church thinks differently. Another piece from the article: "doctors concluded that the girl’s immature hips made childbirth exceedingly dangerous, prompting church officials to argue that she be forced to carry the baby to term and then have a cesarean."

If the doctors didn't want to be chastised by the Catholic church they should have done nothing for the girl. The mother should have watched as the twins grew within her little girls body until she was bedridden and, eventually, dead.

When chastised for they complete stupidity in the matter the Archbishop said: “We know that people have other ideas, but if they do, then they are not Catholics. We want people who adhere to God’s laws.”

All I can say is, I'm fucking glad I'm not a Catholic. I could never be that evil.