WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES!!
http://www.life.com/image/50693450/in-gallery/41722
I often wonder about the "we are morally superior" crowd. Do they actually believe that, or are they just saying that as some means of assuaging themselves of any responsibility. If we are "morally superior", then you must beleive that our enemies, whoever they may be, are "morally inferior". In what other regard do you consider them to be "inferior". Are they racial stereotype "Japs", or Jewish "lice" or any other term of propaganda designed to dehumanize the "enemy" so that we don't feel bad about killing them? Is that what the "we are morally superior" crowd thinks? I certainly hope not, because it would really seem to me that this "we lower ourselves to their level" mentality has fallen for the propaganda behind war. People are people. In war, people die. In peacetime, people die violent deaths. Its humanity at its absolute most inhuman behaviour. I'm not morally superior to anyone out there, nor do I feel that theres anyone out there who is inferior to me in any way, and I'm one of the guys that gets compared to a gangster or traitor to "our" principles, because I made a career choice that necessitates making very difficult decisions under very difficult circumstances.
The "we are morally superior" crowd seems IMO to be pretty quick with the denials, accusations and put-downs against those who differ from their beliefs. The editors of "Life" magazine got it right with their response quoted below the picture in the link. Too many people forget that. And its pretty easy to attack those who remind you of it. No one is "pro" torture any more than they are "pro" war, or "pro" rape, or any other form of violence, despite the standard fallback argument of "we are morally superior".......next time anyone is tempted to use that in a discussion here, try using "they are morally inferior", or maybe just plain ol' "they are inferior" and see how many brownie points you'll score be saying that, because claiming we're superior pretty much insinuates that they are inferior. They're as human as we are, and there may be some pretty major cultural/historical differences between us, but people are equal. If it boosts your ego to put down someone who confronts violent realities by implying he is your "inferior", as happens right here on this very board, full of "morally superior" individuals, then thats your right. But its not right. People are people, wars happen, torture happens, both sides do it, and wishing it away wont work. To deny that it torture is only used by the "morally inferior" side is a pretty ostrich-like response. People use torture, and war, and violence, against people. Thats it.