Coulter compares waterboarding to hazing, punishment for small children

I thought this noise was winding down.

Still, if these Republican media hacks can keep this noise alive, and can still find someone to take the bait, then sure why not, they will... and of course you noticed that about these many (too many) "torture memo" stories, you noticed how there's always a Republican media hack initiating the noise, and probing to see just what button it is to push, to get a reaction: in this instance the button is "waterboarding is no worse than hazing", and the one taking the bait and reacting is... is who? 

Who is that in the screenshot (I'm not about to play the video and voluntarily subject myself to the face and voice of ann coulter), who is that? 

Is that Bette Midler? 

No, that's one of the women from "The View", isn't it? 

As I said, it's an All-Star lineup of Republican media hacks taking turns at initiating this noise: look over any and all stories on this noise, and it's always a Republican media hack initiating it (and every once in a while it's Dick Cheney their king instead): and I long ago noticed how devoid these flarups are of any reputable or sensible Democrat to take the bait or otherwise participate... truly, look over any or all of the stories about "torture memos", and in them collectively there's a ratio of every single Republican media hack imaginable, to just about no one at all from the Democratic party, just about no one at all with any reputation or any real sense...

But there's always someone from "The View" I guess.

What, Whoopi was too busy, or Rosie was elsewhere?

No matter, we'll get the one that looks kinda like Bette Midler.

I am somewhat surprised that so many are so against making uncomfortable people who were trying to kill our soldiers on the field of battle.  As combatants I would think they would fully expect discomfort would be a result of capture.  Certainly any taken under similar circumstances by a bordering country would face much more severe consequences.  I assert the conditions experienced under captivity by America were a picnic on a nice day in a fine park with a dog that plays fetch and a pond stocked with large fish compared to those they would face in captivity by their fellows or neighbors.  Compare with our soldiers they detained, tortured, and, at times, beheaded.

The argument that applied discomfort simply does not work causes me to wonder why the tactic has been and is applied so often by our rivals at home and abroad.  Perhaps a public service message would do them all good.  If only they knew what our psychologists know (it just does not work) they would stop and we could all get along marvelously--while in captivity.

The argument that any applied discomfort should be intolerable does not ring true to me.  Confinement itself is torture.  How uncomfortable would it be to yearn for freedom that was denied--forbid that the evil jailer be a representative of the United States.  Try seeing how long you can tolerate confining yourself to a single room in your home.  Should we be so lofty as to consider that all forms of applied discomfort be transgression?

But, Ann, if it's that insignificant then why would it work on hardened terrorists? You think the government should continue to administer what you consider corporal punishment to fanatical terrorists because nothing breaks the will of a fanatic like a spanking machine. So what you are proposing is that we should continue to use water boarding because it's ineffective and a waste of time.

Caught, as usual, in her totally egregious lack of logic.

Randy

Hypertising,(to hyper-advertise) is a great way to get attention.  Ms. Coulter calls water-boarding,"hazing for small children," or to that affect?  She may deny her words, at a later time. You know how that goes, so last century.

How about the U.S. Constitution?  Amendment VIII states; 

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor, cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

This our Law.  If we and have, deny the tenants of our Constitution, we are not better than animals.   Men created wars, to make money, and assert power.  Control has caused our lot.  We will speak or be slaves.  Your choice!  Study, question, communicate, expect, and Vote!

One of the major reasons why people such as Ms. Coulter continue to get airtime is that they are considered by producers to be entertaining; like a conversational car accident, she and her ilk shock the sensibilities ("Can you believe she said that!?).

Yet, in order to continue to generate that visceral emotional response, the ante must regularly be upped, ultimately reaching a point where we are no longer interested--not because we've had our fill--because we don't believe that even she believes it anymore. Without that, we are witnessing an unwitting "Colbert Report".

So..... what does it mean when a political party's shock-jocks are less shocking than its actual politicians (Inhofe)? I'm guessing nothing good.

the shock value of their outrageous statements 

I took this quote from a Glenn Greenwald polemic destroying a Charles Krauthmer(sp) article attempting to justify torture.  The first quote is from Ronald Reagan as he signed the UN Convention against Torture: 

Ronald Reagan, May 20, 1988, transmitting the Convention Against Torture to the Senate for ratification:

The United States participated actively and effectively in the negotiation of the Convention.  It marks a significant step in the development during this century of international measures against torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment. Ratification of the Convention by the United States will clearly express United States opposition to torture, an abhorrent practice unfortunately still prevalent in the world today.

The core provisions of the Convention establish a regime for international cooperation in the criminal prosecution of torturers relying on so-called "universal jurisdiction." Each State Party is required either to prosecute torturers who are found in its territory or to extradite them to other countries for prosecution.

Convention Against Torture, signed and championed by Ronald Reagan, Article II/IV:

No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture. . . Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law.

here is the link to the article: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/05/01/shifts/index.html?source=newsletter