Torture

Polling Torture

Most polls show that voters support the torturing of prisoners -- at least in some special circumstances. Factoring in the "rarely" numbers, it looks like a 70-30 split in favor.

Disturbing and wrong. Though, on the bright side, I'm not convinced that polling regular Americans on the application of torture is the slightest bit relevant. I would speculate that if many of our laws regarding prisoner/suspect/criminal treatment were polled, Americans would be in favor of the harsher treatment and fewer rights. In fact, I would suggest that the worst policies at Alcatraz would've been supported by at least a plurality.

We have rules and international treaties for a reason: because without them, we have vigilante justice -- lynch mobs, posses and Cheneys. And constitutional democracies can't survive in a state of outlaw justice.