Degrading prisoners one song at a time
Melissa Stelter
Issue date: 11/11/09 Section: Opinion
It could be argued that torture is a dangerous practice for us as well, and adds needless risks to the already precarious lives of our soldiers fighting overseas. After all, how can we possibly expect that American soldiers or American citizens being held in overseas prisons would be treated humanely if we do not extend the same courtesy to others?
Additionally, the plight of the inmates at Guantanamo Bay is particularly egregious even without the prospect of torture by American military personnel.
Many of these inmates are being held unconstitutionally, denied the benefit of habeas corpus, due process, presumption of innocence and protections against cruel and unusual punishment afforded American citizens in our Bill of Rights
Yet, the founding fathers also believed this treatment should be extended to all individuals in the interest of maintaining a just and free society, which is precisely why these principles were immortalized in our founding documents.
Some of these inmates may very well be criminals, disillusioned and enraged enough (for whatever reason) to want to hurt innocent American civilians. However, they are also fundamentally, human beings - the same as us, with feelings, loyalties, beliefs, thoughts and souls.
What sort of nation are we if we make no attempt to treat them with basic dignity and compassion? Are we so blinded by insatiable thirst for retribution and punitive measures against those who we perceive have wronged us that we forget what it is to live as a peaceful, tolerant and free society?
It's shameful enough that the U.S. government continues to engage in torture of any sort (and that Guantanamo Bay remains open despite President Obama's promises to close it), but the use of music in this fashion is truly disgraceful and should never occur again. Music is meant to elevate the spirit, not break it; as one of the oldest and most primal forms of artistic expression, it retains the profound power to unite humans at a basic level. It should not be used to commit nefarious, damaging acts, particularly without the consent of the artists who created the music, as is often the case; many of the artists included in the Freedom of Information request have expressed dismay about and condemned the use of their music in this way.
As Fyodor Dostoyevsky stated, "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." How civilized can we claim to be as long as these atrocities are allowed to continue in our military prisons?
Additionally, the plight of the inmates at Guantanamo Bay is particularly egregious even without the prospect of torture by American military personnel.
Many of these inmates are being held unconstitutionally, denied the benefit of habeas corpus, due process, presumption of innocence and protections against cruel and unusual punishment afforded American citizens in our Bill of Rights
Yet, the founding fathers also believed this treatment should be extended to all individuals in the interest of maintaining a just and free society, which is precisely why these principles were immortalized in our founding documents.
Some of these inmates may very well be criminals, disillusioned and enraged enough (for whatever reason) to want to hurt innocent American civilians. However, they are also fundamentally, human beings - the same as us, with feelings, loyalties, beliefs, thoughts and souls.
What sort of nation are we if we make no attempt to treat them with basic dignity and compassion? Are we so blinded by insatiable thirst for retribution and punitive measures against those who we perceive have wronged us that we forget what it is to live as a peaceful, tolerant and free society?
It's shameful enough that the U.S. government continues to engage in torture of any sort (and that Guantanamo Bay remains open despite President Obama's promises to close it), but the use of music in this fashion is truly disgraceful and should never occur again. Music is meant to elevate the spirit, not break it; as one of the oldest and most primal forms of artistic expression, it retains the profound power to unite humans at a basic level. It should not be used to commit nefarious, damaging acts, particularly without the consent of the artists who created the music, as is often the case; many of the artists included in the Freedom of Information request have expressed dismay about and condemned the use of their music in this way.
As Fyodor Dostoyevsky stated, "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." How civilized can we claim to be as long as these atrocities are allowed to continue in our military prisons?
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sales hypnosis
posted 11/26/09 @ 8:40 AM CST
It's shameful enough that the U.S. government continues to engage in torture of any sort (and that Guantanamo Bay remains open despite President Obama's promises to close it), but the use of music in this fashion is truly disgraceful and should never occur again. (Continued…)
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