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Thom's blog
Torture is Not an American Value
Conservatives are freaking out about the Senate torture report, and nowhere are they freaking out more than on Fox So-Called News. Host Andrea Tantaros, for example, went on a crazy rant after hearing that the report was being released and repeated “America is awesome” over and over again.
You know, you’re right. Andrea. America is “awesome.” America is “awesome” because it was founded on liberal Enlightenment values that to this day are shared by most or all of its citizens, right, left, or anywhere in between. But there’s nothing “awesome” about torture, especially the kind of torture that the CIA was using on detainees during the Bush years.
I mean, have you even read the Senate’s torture report, Andrea? It’s terrifying. Some detainees were beaten and left to freeze to death in the cold. Others were forced to wear diapers or walk around naked in chains. And that’s not even the worst of it. Some detainees were also forced to undergo a painful and medically unnecessary process known as “rectal feeding.”
Here’s how the Senate’s torture report describes the rectal feeding of one detainee named Majid Khan:
"Majid Khan was then subject to involuntary rectal feeding and rectal hydration, which included two bottles of Ensure. Later that same day, Majid Khan's "lunch tray," consisting of hummus, pasta with sauce, nuts, and raisins was "pureed" and rectally infused."
That is disgusting, and so fundamentally at odds with our founding values it’s just astonishing.
After the Battle of Trenton in 1776, General George Washington went out of his way to stop his soldiers from torturing their Hessian mercenary prisoners. His order banning the mistreatment of prisoners is still relevant today. It reads,
“Treat them with humanity, and let them have no reason to complain of our copying the brutal example of the British Army in their treatment of our unfortunate brethren who have fallen into their hands.”
-Thom
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... Moms demand police accountability (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)
The Best of the Rest...
Daily Take: Torture Is Not an American Value
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Wednesday's Daily Stack 
Hour One: "We are awesome"...
Quote: " Treat them with humanity, and Let them have no reason to Complain of our Copying the brutal example of the British army in their Treatment of our unfortunate brethren" -- George Washington.
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Thom's Poll
Is there such a thing as a reasonable justification for torture?
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Is Another Economic Crisis Lurking on the Horizon?
This Is NOT Who We Are…
Politics Panel: Senator Warren vs. Banksters
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Geeky Science - Does fracking cause birth defects?
The Good - the Bad - and the Very Very Pultaceously Ugly
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Full Show 12/9/14: Torture Report Details and their implications for the United States
Tonight’s “Politics Panel” discusses the U.S. torture report and its impact in the United States and globally. Marc Harrold, Libertarian Political Analyst and author of "Observations of White Noise…an ‘Acid Test’ for the First Amendment", Shelby Emmett of the National Advisory Council-Project 21 and Neil Sroka, Democracy for America Communications Director discuss the torture report, the latest jobs report figures, Elizabeth Warren’s blocking of Treasury appointee Antonio Weiss, and the modern KKK in the south.
Richard Wolff, Economist and author of “Democracy At Work” talks with Thom about falling oil prices and their impact on global capitalism.
Thom gives his Daily Take on prisoner treatment, citing President Abraham Lincoln. Plus, “The Good, The Bad and Very Very Ugly”, “Geeky Science” and “Your Take My Take Live” with Thom.
"We Are Awesome"...
The Defense of Torture...
Latest from UN Climate talks in Peru...
Report: CIA Torture Did Not Work!
Caller: Prosecutions, not Pardons for Bush and Co...
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Thom Hartmann Program
The question of how we kill all the terrorists is the wrong question. Try this. How did we make and keep making terrorists? Are we so naive as to actually believe 'they hate us for our freedoms'? Understand that education of women will radically transform their entire social system which their men don't want any more than many people in our own country who resist acceptance of blacks having the vote. Our long term prospect of changing 'backward or hostile' societies is to have them to say, 'give me some of that'! Right now I don't know why many would wish to be like us. I don't go to France to eat at McDonald's or complain that they don't speak English.
Try asking the politicians that.