What are our principles, as individuals or as a nation? I addressed this a few nights ago when waterboarding was in the news every minute of every hour. Some questioned the rationality of my thinking. Why would I be opposed to waterboarding when so much good came out of the practice? "We saved possibly thousands of lives." My mind goes back to the condemnation of Saul Alinsky when he wrote that the end justifies the means. Rules for Radicals, outlines that the means are disposable if the end goals are meet. This is the same type of thinking that justifies the torture of other humans. The practice of waterboarding uncovered information that saved the lives of Americans. Now are we of the opinion that the means were justified by the end result? If that did not work, would cutting off a finger knuckle by knuckle be acceptable, if it saved American lives? I guess the answer only comes through our principles. Please do not misunderstand, I do not feel these people deserve to be treated kindly nor do I think that President Obama is doing the right thing by exposing this issue. I am challenging you to look at your principles and identify what makes torture correct. If you can justify it in your mind, maybe you should reexamine the Rules for Radicals and see where you are at on the scale. I still think that the president is taking our country down the wrong path, but torture is against the principles of our nation.
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