And you, Mr. Olbermann, sir, have just crossed the line!
In your questionable zeal to make Sean Hannity appear more foolish (he really does not need any help), and obfuscating your motives through charitable giving, you have succeeded in further trivializing torture. You are aiding in turning water-boarding into a parlor game. No matter how many seconds Hannity would survive the water, it is unlike any water-torture our "enemies" would have received, in that they would never know it would stop. You got suckered into a game, Mr. Olbermann, and the result will be that waterboarding will become mundane, even thinkable. It should not be; it should remain a thought and picture that we should all recoil from.
You should not want him or anyone waterboarded, nor should the gleeful commenters on blogs discussing your offer.
Even the debate on whether or not torture "works" is rather beside the point. That cannot be proven; there will be opinions everywhere, and no objective truth. It essentailly does not matter; it is against our laws, against international law, and it is wrong, and immoral. Stop playing cutesy with fox news pundits; you degrade yourself, as well as the issue. What you are doing smacks a little of revenge, which is the one mostly unspoken motive of torturers and the authors of torture.
Nice ... agree 100%
April 24, 2009 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't see the segments you are referencing - but not sure that I don't think it would be a good idea for Hannity to experience that which he endorses.
Funny how when you experience something up close and personal, it gives you a different perspective.
Of course, I've always advocated that all those who are responsibile for sending forth others into the battlefield should go first, with all their loved ones right there with them! Front lines. Because, if that was the process, somehow think other options might be given more consideration.
Nothing like experience.
April 24, 2009 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
The only way this would work is if he had to be forced to endure it until he confessed to something he didn't do to make it stop. Otherwise, he would be able say, hey, no big deal, I did it, I'm fine.
Makes great theater, and I have to say that the idea of watching Hannity get "shut up" appeals to me. But this will not accomplish that...it would merely give him more ammo for sticking with his ridiculous position.
April 24, 2009 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I saw the segment.
Olbermann crossed no line - it was a "put up or shut up" to Manatee. And he set one condition that I approve of wholeheartedly - the presence of other networks' cameras. No Faux News spin - the real deal, and documented.
And Lawrence O'Donnell's comments after were bang-on: Cowards like Manatee are in favor of torture because they know they themselves would break rather quickly. Dedicated opponents of the US, not so much. Remember, the detainees that were waterboarded gave nothing useful, anything of value obtained was beforehand.
April 24, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even with other network's cameras there; the conditions are totally controlled. The subject knows exactly what's happening and can mentally prepare themselves. The stunt is most likely to provide a photo-op for Hannity to say "no big deal".
Seriously, hold your breath for 15 seconds ... that's what the dude from Playboy had to accomplish in order to say he's survived "torture". I just did an experiment and holding my breath for 1 minute 15 seconds wasn't even difficult. Try it ... how long can YOU survive the torture of holding your breath? Why would having a wet-cloth over your face make that any worse? It doesn't get scary until you are forced to breathe.
Unless you plan to rough him up to get his oxygen levels all wacky and then gut-punch him to take out his wind just before the procedure starts (like the do in real life), all this little game will do is allow the neoconservatives to get away with saying torture is no big deal.
If he was going through the entire SERE program ... I'd feel differently. But to give credence to a situation where by holding one's breath for 60 seconds they can trivialize what was authorized ... is just downright irresponsible.
People should be calling Hannity on the BS nature of his offer - not acting like he's volunteering to do something that equals torture.
April 24, 2009 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Keith Olbermann is a clown and Rachel Maddow is on her way to joining him in the clown car that is MSNBC.
Thank God for Bill Moyers.
April 24, 2009 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, I like all three, but I agree Moyers uses fewer theatrics.
April 24, 2009 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink