Help me with a research paper. "Is torture acceptable?"

[chlsmo]

I am writing a research paper on torture and I would like to poll some of you guys.

Is torture acceptable?

I will not add qualifiers to that question, you can do that on your own and then voice your opinion(s). I won't be carrying on a discussion on the matter, I just want some numbers. Thanks for the help.

 

[ayuname]

I did an assignment in school on prisoner of war abuse aka torture. I had a speech by John McCain and another source (I forget).

I said no. But there are lots of arguments that, "If I could save lives, I would do it." or "Even if it isn't acceptable, people are still going to do it in extreme times."

Hope this helps you.

 

[gj011]

Not in civilized society.

 

[jrod]

Perhaps...as a last resort?

This is a very difficult question to answer honestly. In general, I do not believe that state sponsored terrorism is necessarily a good idea. On the other hand, I can envision situations where, as a last resort only, it is probably warranted. The problem is how does one define this threshold of acceptability?

Many feel that going to war is also a last resort, but can be justified under the right circumstances. Perhaps the acceptance threshold for the application of torture is best defined in a similar manner as justifying going to war. That is, if there is no other option for which an equal or better outcome can be had (both short and long term), then it is acceptable.

While I agree the idea of torturing someone is abhorent, if it produces information that results in the saving of a life or many lives, it's extremely difficult to argue against it. Disclosure of it's use is an equally troubling question...

 

[atatu]

If you have time read the books "Torture Team" by Phillipe Sands or "The Dark Side" by Jane Mayer...by the way it's a great topic for a research paper. There are lots of website with information out there.

 

[charliefedererer]

"Is torture acceptable?"

It is not acceptable.
Raffa should either quit or be prosecuted by the World Court for torturing Rog.

 

[charliefedererer]

McCain is against torture, because after being tortured himself in Viet Nam, he knows that eventually the tortured will make up and say anything to get the torture to stop.

 

[Fearsome Forehand]

First, define torture.

Questions to ponder: In responding to your poll, are we to use the left wing definition of torture (e.g., serving detainees cold dinner rolls with margarine instead warm dinner rolls with whipped butter?) Do you consider terrorist dunking or exposure to vicious caterpillars torture? Is sleep deprivation torture? Is a prostate exam or a colonoscopy torture? Is going to the dentist torture? Is being forced to watch a chick flick, The View, Oprah, Ellen, or a WTA match torture? Is being on the receiving end of PMS torture? Is having to pretend to listen to your GF or wife endlessly biatch about her job torture? And can one ever truly torture a masochist? ;o)

Also the results of any poll here will likely be skewed left (if the typical posts are any indication of the average poster's political orientation.) Therefore, take the poll results with a pound of salt. ;o)

 

[Underhand]

I'm pro-torture. Life is suffering, torture just raises this suffering to a higher level helping enlightenment.

 

[Eviscerator]

I am writing a research paper on torture and I would like to poll some of you guys.

Is torture acceptable?

I will not add qualifiers to that question, you can do that on your own and then voice your opinion(s). I won't be carrying on a discussion on the matter, I just want some numbers. Thanks for the help.

No personal offense, but I find your approach a poor way to go about creating a research paper.
For starters you need to define torture as best as you can, because it means different things to different people. Second, announcing you will not engage in discussion and that you only want numbers means you are either too lazy to get more accurate polling information, or worse that you do not even care if it is accurate.
Needless to say, I will not be participating in your poll under the current parameters.

 

[chlsmo]

Don't worry about parameters. This isn't some doctoral thesis or anything. It is a bullsh!t 101 english class. Please feel free to use any perspective you want. I know this is a tennis forum, but it is the easiest way to poll tens of people (LOL). This isn't rocket science just click, like I said in the OP you don't have to justify or quantify anything, and I made the poll private.

 

[chlsmo]

I am just looking to get a very "in general" public perception. Very reactionary on the concept of "Torture". Nothing is right or wrong as far as this thread is concerned. This part of my research paper is not the meat of any substantial argument.

 

[Sublime]

Torture is not acceptable (electrocution, amputating body parts, breaking bones, burning flesh, chemical / poison treatment, etc), but waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and general psychological games are not torture.

 

[TennisNinja]

Yes. Use it.

 

[hollywood9826]

If Im defendin my life, my familys life or any combination thereof then there is no means that wont be used to ensure their safety

If somebody kidnapps my kid, heads will roll, I dont ***** care. If we capture people conspiring against this country then do whatever it takes to get them to spill the beans. it only takes one out of 500 to break and tell the truth. So you dump some water in thier freaking face and embarass them and scare them and dont let them sleep and feed just enough food to live. Big ***** deal.

Last I saw they sawed off heads and bragged and cheered about it. So dump some water in the face so it dont happen again, or at least less often than before.

So yes its acceptable in my book.

 

[FedererForehand]

Depends on how far you are willing to go to "save" lives... I believe that torture can and should be used if and only if you are holding a known enemy who you can prove has intentions to harm you or your countrymen. None of this Guantanamo bullsh!it where innocent men have been detained illegally and tortured without cause and treated like animals.

 

[Steve Huff]

Being married, I think everyone should have to go through it.

On a more serious note, regardless of your opinion, when you write your essay, use a 5 paragraph form. Form an opinion and list 3 reasons why you believe this way. This is your thesis statement. It belongs at the end of your first paragraph. Each of the next 3 paragraphs supports one of the reasons supporting your belief. The last paragraph is your conclusion. Stick with this format and a teacher can hardly count off, unless your reasons do not really support your belief. Good luck.

 

[10sfreak]

"Is torture acceptable?" Absolutely.

 

[WBF]

I don't believe torture is acceptable.

I'm curious to see why you would want to see the results of a poll for this class. English papers typically don't rely on statistics. A tennis forum is also a curious population to examine, assuming this has anything to do with the numbers whatsoever. Are you just trying to elicit some amusing posts for your paper?

 

[charliefedererer]

In case you've missed it there is a "torture" thread currently ongoing at the following: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=257260

 

[VivalaVida]

No way in hell!