6 posts tagged “torture”
Thriller writer Charles McCarry is precise in his prose. But everyone is clunky at some point in their oral communication, so while he would surelynot use "dying" and "torture" so closely in prose, it still rings true when the ex-CIA operative said in a recent interview that he doesn't believe in torture: "People are dying to tell you their secrets. It’s just a matter of getting the conversation going."
It's not the economy (or war or tax breaks or torture or ...) stupid! It's the definition. (Joining this prez and the previous: it all depends on what your definition of "is is.") So, it seems perfectly reasonable that President Bush says he can keep his secret memo defining torture secret, despite concern that he tortured the definition of the word until his definition excused any action taken as not torturous.
If only everyone could share the secret faith that if this administration actually was torturing in its secret prisons -- albeit, according to the secret definition -- then they would surely share the secret memo with you.
Trust us. We are keeping secrets from you for you. The CIA ran "secret detention facilities" from 2003 through 2005 according to the European Union, and nobody was/is allowed to find out the truth. The reason is, because ...?
Torture out secrets? Probably, as in the caes of other other-imposed tortures, the truth of the results should be suspect. Still, British scientists have faith that pain will bring gain in revealing secrets.
A secret provides not only pain, of course. Often, that you are the only one to know something -- whether about yourself of another -- gives a sense of power, sometimes even giddiness. And it is this sense of dominance and elation that can lead you into sharing what perhaps you shouldn't. For at that moment of sharing you may achieve the acme of power and elation. Beware: the drop from this high comes unexpectedly.
You are your personal afflicter. What you don't admit to anyone else can singe, char, immolate your soul, even your mind. The premiere fictional example is Oscar Wilde's "Portrait of Dorian Gray." The factual exemplar could be Richard Nixon, although there are many other famous and unknown whose souls have been darkened by what they hold within. People's letting go can be seen at www.postsecret.blogspot.com. One can only wonder what these sharers have left to tell.
