Torture

Note: Be warned that this a serious post on a serious issue. Until or unless I start another blog, these posts will show up from time to time. Feel free to ignore or rage at me as you will. I'll try to keep the photo below this first screen, so keep your kids away from this.

torture:tôrchr
NOUN: 1a. Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion. b. An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain. 2. Excruciating physical or mental pain; agony: the torture of waiting in suspense. 3. Something causing severe pain or anguish.
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: tor·tured, tor·tur·ing, tor·tures
1. To subject (a person or an animal) to torture. 2. To bring great physical or mental pain upon (another). See synonyms at afflict. 3. To twist or turn abnormally; distort: torture a rule to make it fit a case.

That's the American Heritage Dictionary's definition. The dictionary's name is oddly ironic, and why I chose it.

I think that by now with the word even creeping into mainstream U.S.A. media, it should be fairly obvious that the U.S.A. tortures people it holds in detention as part of the "War on Terror". Forget the "a few bad apples" argument. If that were the case, would there need to be legislation put forward and voted on to prevent it? The Vice President of the United States is pushing hard to exempt CIA from "anti-torture" legislation recently passed by a wide margin in the house. This was after a very strong push to have the house drop this legislation before it was even voted on. This does not sound like "a few bad apples" to me. The U.S.A. is in violation of the Geneva conventions on numerous issues in multiple locations and doesn't seem to feel that this applies to the current situation.

While the U.S. administration has frequently lauded and quoted the International Red Cross and Amnesty International when they issue statements that coincide with U.S.A. policies, they now show public distain and contempt when those same organizations report on what should be considered crimes against humanity (were it any other country but the United States). As I type this there are dozens of people on hunger strike in Guantanamo Bay to protest their situation and conditions, several with tubes forcibly shoved down their throats to prevent them from starving to death. I would argue that even under adequate physical treatment, three years of detention with no hope of freedom or knowledge of how to go about obtaining it, amounts to torture in and of itself. If the "War on Terror" is to go on indefinitely, are all of these people to die in prison without so much as a trial to prove their guilt or give the chance to argue their innocence?

Is the Vice President trying to appease the military or the CIA when he promotes a CIA exemption from what amounts to anti-torture legislation? I'm guessing he's covering his own ass...and those around him. Do you realize that there are many people in many countries that seriously believe a large portion of the current U.S. administration to be guilty of crimes against humanity? How many of you reading this now thought you'd ever even be in the position to consider whether or not the U.S. had the right to torture people (to death) to prevent ...forget that...for any reason?

How many people were "interrogated vigorously" over Saddam's weapons of mass destruction? How many were interrogated over Saddam's links to Al Quaida? How many died or were permanently maimed or injured? We now know there were no weapons of mass destruction. We now know that there was no collaborative connection between Al Quaida and Iraq. We know that there is no connection between Iraq and 9-11. Think about that. How many people were tortured for information they couldn't possibly have had? We aren't talking about American soldiers being viciously tortured by the enemy here. We are talking about Americans and American-paid civilian personnel torturing people to death for information they couldn't possibly have.

Think Abu Graib times 100 in multiple locations worldwide. If you think the ones you've heard about are the only ones...think about it a little more. If something makes it to Main Stream Media with photographic evidence, it stands to reason that much worse is going on...no need to be a conspiracy theorist to figure that one out. There are now inquiries into CIA "secret" facilities for "ghost prisoners" in Eastern Europe (and elsewhere). Our closest allies are worried about secret prison transfers over their airspace. You can read about it in reputable publications. You just have to look.

If you think the rather mild version of what's available to print is hard to look at, imagine it's you...or a close family member...or you forced to have close family members watch it happening to you. These things happen. It's a matter of record.


All of this information is out there and available to anyone prepared to look for it. I am talking about articles from reputable sources and Pulitzer-winning journalists. It's a long, slow, painful ride, but more and more people are beginning to pay attention to what's happening about this issue and many others closely related to it.

I recommend the internet (U.S. and mainstream British media won't cut it) for news. Take a closer look at what's going on in the world. Start with the links on this page. They are considered very respectable news sources. I recommend you check everything from multiple sources in multiple countries by people with multiple points of view. I recommend thought, cynicism , research, common sense and sharing thoughts with others.

Check out the Link of the Day. The site is a little scetchy, but the info can be collaborated ealsewhere (for some reason, I couldn't link with the more reputable site [no offense to those at Daily Kos]).

Sounds like a lot of work really stay on top of things, to really give it thought, to talk to others about your thoughts on what's going on around you and in the world, I know. No doubt it did to the average citizen of Germany in 1939 as well.

This posting is on torture. There will be other postings on issues equally as difficult to read and think about in the context of things done in or by your own country. Write me. Requests for my sources will be met by requests for yours. Do your homework, don't put it all on me.

See if the people around you have thoughts on these issues. Some probably do. Be non-confrontational. Listen to, and respect others' opinions before putting yours out there.


Each word has an echo. So does each silence.
-Jean-Paul Sartre

Today

I remember the end of a show that started around 2 a.m....even if I don't remember most of the show itself. I got off the sofa around 6 and sent rather harsh e-mails to several (you know who you are). I have plans to sleep more...though sounds from the windows suggest that won't really happen.



This is me as I write this.





Taka and I got a postcard invitation to a live performance of a friend happening last Sunday afternoon. We went and had a great time. As he plays with a lot of groups, we didn't even know what kind of music to expect. We were treated to an excellent set of rock/blues. It was a very good afternoon. Another friend was there as well, and we joined him, his wife, and incredibly beautiful daughter for some coffee and a little walk around afterwards. All-in-all, a great day!

I'm sorry to say that beautiful days are far few between these days. Living in what amounts to a dark cave surrounded by a construction site continues.

One of my few regular viewers (not a family member, as they rarely check this at all) reminded me that I hadn't posted in a while. I agreed and figured a little fluff was more appropriate than the nasty stuff I've been writing, re-writing, self-editing, and re-writing yet again.

Sleep.

...Where the unconsciousness rules
George Harrison

They are starting outside, so the sofa calls louder than the bed...

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I now live dead center of a construction site. They are doing what is called in Japan a complete "reform" of the outside of this building. While this should be a good thing when it's done, my life is currently a living hell and this building is worse than I've ever seen it.

Monday a week ago, 8 a.m. preparations were being made 3 1/2 feet (1 meter) from my bedroom and living room windows for what was to become ground-to roof scaffolding to surround the entire building. This scaffolding is composed of 3 meter (nine foot) hollow steel tubes, corregated steel planks and all the connectors and is anchored to the building by bolts drilled into the walls. There is also some kind of urgent need for people at the front of the building to have conversations with the people at the back of the building even while using hammers on hollow steel and pnuematic drills on brick.

For the next month plus (even if they stay on schedule), every window and curtain must remain closed...not just because of the considerable noise, but because all the work is being done just inches from every window and door in the place. Last Wednesday I checked to see how close they were to finished killing me with noise for the day, only to open a window and find less than ten inches (six cm.) between my head and some guy's crotch.
This is what it looked like in the beginning, while they were still putting up the scaffolding. The window behind the tree that the scaffolding plank is up against is inches from where I sit now.

Around last Thursday they began high pressure water cleaning. Loud, messy, wet...dangerous. I kid you not that my building has (what I can only guess is a mandatory) sign posted on the front of it designating the area as a hard-hat, no smoking zone. I don't know how they can even allow us to live in a zone designated as "hard-hats required". Just leaving this place and returning is a real challenge. Staying here is worse.

This is the front of the building now.

Despite wanting this place to look better, I have not been a happy camper! I am very sensitive to sound (at least inside my apartment), as my endless complaints on the kids upstairs will confirm. I have had a headache that comes right up to migraine level for the better part of a week and a half now, and doubt things will be getting better any time soon because a) I have caught a cold and b) they start using highly volitile chemicals from tomorrow (if they stay on schedule). Leaving the house doesn't even seem to relax me, because just getting my bike out is a major hassle and getting it back in even worse. I leave really stressed and return to instant stress.

As of today (about a week and a half in), the place looks worse than when they started. I'm not sure of the thinking, but they had someone on my balcony with a pressure hose Saturday and today they were doing balconies above mine and all the dirty water from that splattered and dried all over my balcony. This is in addition to the fact that whoever was out there Saturday kicked all the wood tiles around and broke one of them without straightening up or replacing all the planters, etc. that were moved. As of now, it's about fifty times woorse than when they started...and all my plants are dead because there isn't enough light coming through the scaffolding cover.

This is a rant that could eat up pages, but I'll end it here.

Conenience stores

I've ragged on Japanese stores in past posts. They deserve it. Still, there are good things to be said about more than a few of them as well.

Convenience stores here in Japan work on a very strange principle: Convenience.

They are everywhere and open 24/7. That alone is convenient. Shake your heads or point your fingers, but most of them sell beer, wine and liquor 24/7. They aren't exactly cheap, but some price must be paid for convenience. They sell hot food as well as the stuff you'd expect, but also have microwaves to heat anything you want (they even do it for you). They have boiling water in pots for instant ramen and the like.

Not impressed? I can pay my cell phone bill...and it's possible to pay electric, gas, and too many other things to even be listed here at most convenience stores 24/7. Sad to admit, but there have been times when I was late enough on a cell phone bill to have service stopped. Less than a minute after paying it at the nearest convenience store I was up and running. Almost uncanny efficiency. For cell phone addicts, you can put a 15-30 minute charge on your phone if the battery's low. If you want to mail a package, you can do it there...I don't even think the rate varies from just calling the carrier. I'm pretty sure you can even have a package delivered there at no extra charge (for those workaholic singles). If you don't have a fax machine, you can send one from there; you can even recieve one if you are there when it's sent. Full-color copies? No problem. Wanna download songs for your cell phone? Also no problem. ATM? Got it. You can get pe-paid telephone cards...and even rent pre-paid, "disposable" cell phones. You can buy stamps. Believe it or not, you can also buy concert tickets at most of them.

This isn't one or two of them, it's pretty much all of them

Ragging on stuff is what I do. I think I do it well, but I annoy the hell out of my wife and a few of my aquaintances. Still, I like to give credit where credit is due (even if I don't do it often). My hat's off (and head's shining) to convenience stores here in Japan!

Beliefs

I wrote this quite a while ago. Thought I'd update it a little and throw it out here. Comments are welcome. Those of you that track my e-mail address back through the link to my web site should know that I only read mail that: a) has an address to respond to and b) includes enough content to not have me just delete it after the first line or two. I like rants better than most, but crave substance rather than obscenity and threats. Thanks!

I did a post on favorites, I guess it's time to do one on beliefs. I've been spending more time than I care to consider on current world events lately. I'll try not to slant this too much in that direction (there will be some though).

I believe that a diet of fresh, unprocessed foods devoid of meat, dairy and eggs is the healthiest thing possible to live on. I believe that seasonal and local food should be the greater part of what you eat everyday. I believe that chemicals in food are a bad thing. I believe that people should worry less about weight and more about health. I believe that weight should be less of an issue...except when it comes to health. I believe that exercise is the primary ingredient in any diet meant for weight-loss (my beliefs don't necessarily imply I actually follow them).

I believe that baseball is a great sport (though somewhat under-rated). I believe the majority of the world may actually be right about soccer. I believe I play soccer better than I do baseball but really, really like playing racquetball (and may at some point give squash a try). I believe that people shouldn't be consumed by talking about, or gambling on professional sports (I believe in moderation).

Here's the stuff likely to irritate. I believe that anyone likely to get upset over my political views should just skip this next paragraph.

I believe the current U.S. administration should be held accountable for their actions (the Senate and House of Representatives too, for that matter). I believe the Patriot Act essentially negates most of the Constitution's Bill of Rights. I believe I'll save my thoughts on 9-11 for another time, but I believe that the war in Iraq was unnecessary and entered into by intentional lies. I believe that the greater part of the upper levels of the current administration should be impeached, indicted or otherwise removed from office. I believe that the world is not a safer place because of the United States. I believe that the United States regularly tortures inocent people (often to death). I know that the U.S. just thumbs it's nose at the Geneva Convention (and most other international treaties it has signed onto but has decided it shouldn't still be held accountable to). I believe the U.S. has plans to attack Syria, likely Iran and maybe Venezuela. I beleive that U.S. foreign policies so closely follow Israel's with regards to the Middle East that motives should be examined more closely. I beleive way too much money in aid is delivered to Israel when it could be put to much better use in the U.S. (how many programs have been cut or under-funded since the wars in Afganistan and Iraq?...Sorry! I meant the war on terror). I also beleive that IsraeI-friendly (based?) lobbies are funneling so much money into campain contributions in the States, that politians can't afford to not be swayed by them. I believe the policies of Israel are just so incredibly evil that I don't even want to go into more detail here just now. I believe that this does not in any way make me anti-Semitic! Anti-Israel does not equal anti-Jewish! I believe Americans and Israelis are wonderful people with horrible governments. I believe the U.N. to be a good thing, ignored by too many governments. I have many, many more beleifs about U.S. and world politics, but am already getting carried away here.

I believe in letting everyone have their say, but that inspite of that, I'll be instantly erasing any comments related to that last paragraph that go overboard on foul language (my definition of that is pretty liberal), threaten my life, or basically piss me off (it is my blog after all). Side Note: dissagreeing with me or argueing with me about anything I write doesn't piss me off; on the contrary, I like that kind of thing. How it's done sometimes does piss me off.

I believe that Spam is just utter crap. I can't believe that anyone would fall for half the scams I receive each week by e-mail. I believe malicious Hackers should burn in Hell. I believe I'm better with a computer than I used to be, but need a lot more study to be able to do some of what I'd like. I believe I need a new computer...the newer, faster, and the more peripherals, the better! I believe I shouldn't spend quite so much of my time on the computer.

I believe I've changed a lot. I believe some people think I'm a bit of a nut-case (Hell, I'm told that and worse regularly). I believe I'm a lot more comfortable with my age than I was two years ago. I believe I'll keep my head shaved. I believe (and in fact, am very sure) that I need a new wardrobe. I believe I'm more comfortable around a wider range of people than ever before. I believe in travel, and think it should include a conversation or two with people that live there. I believe I really need to start studying Japanese.

I believe that's more than enough for now.