Americans know “racial profiling is both morally wrong and ineffective”, but they rather be safe than sorry (Chavez 563). Americans only get the idea that all middle easterners are terrorists because media has taken the role of portraying them in such a way to plants terror in Americans (Spurlock). People have gotten to the point of people being “singled out” because of looking certain way or because people around them feel uncomfortable (Chavez 569).
The Real Effects of Torture “If we are unwilling to torture, we should be willing to wage modern war.”(Harris). This quote is from the article “In Defense of Torture” where author Sam Harris makes a stance stating that torture should be legal. Throughout this article Harris makes comparisons between the lives of innocent people and the lives of terrorists and other war criminals. His main point of argument is that dropping a bomb on a foreign country creates collateral damage killing some innocent people along the way, and that collateral damage is more detrimental to a foreign country than torturing people for information. Harris provides a good point of argument with these examples, however, this argument is flawed.
Exposing violence in the media teaches bad morals and is not supported by the greater good of society. In the show “24”, the main character, Jack Bauer is effective and powerful in saving America, by using torturing methods. The message sent is, “..as long as the tortures manage to choose the correct victim…those who know a lot and those who know a little spill... information within seconds after pain starts-which is not a common occurrence”(Cusac 140). The show makes scenarios look so unrealistic, that you can’t determine what the truth is and what is make belief. Some may say, “Its unfair competition.
IS THE USE OF TORTURE UPON TERRORISTS JUSTIFIED YES:CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER//NO: ADREW SULLIVAN Introduction: The topic at hand, Is the use of torture against those who intend to inflict psychological and physical harm to Americans at home and abroad justified in its use? Taking these talking points stances will be Charles Krauthammer for the Justification and Andrew Sullivan for the unjustification of torture use. I believe the use of torture against domestic and foreign terrorist is extremely justified and should be applied liberally to those who wish to strike the fall of the United States, destroy capitalist and democratic systems, and seek to annihilate all who oppose Islamic Sha’ria law and follow the Christian and Jewish faiths. A
“The Case for Torture”, by Michael Levin and “Torture’s Terrible Toll”, by John McCain are two pieces of writing that argue the pros and cons of using torture as a means to receive information from terrorists. Although the use of torture to secure information is viewed differently by each author, the moral and human rights of every individual is agreed upon by both Levin and McCain. While Levin views torture as necessary in extreme life threatening circumstances, McCain views it as unconstitutional and believes that it is inhumane and goes against individual human rights. In the world today, where terrorist threats seem to be a normal occurrence, there is no doubt that the country must be ready and willing to do whatever is necessary to keep
As with genocide, terrorism does not create any moral dilemma to the society that implements it, yet the one that it is being used against is of the opinion that it is one of the worst things that can be used. The United States condemns all of the Muslim extremist organizations for their use of terrorism, yet the United States used the same tactics during the Revolutionary war. The exploits of the fictitious character Robin Hood used what would be seen as terrorist acts against a portion of the society in which he lived in, yet it is glorified in movies and books. Pirates also used and continue to use terrorism today. In the United States and England, English pirates that terrorized other nations are glorified, while all other pirates are
He was against the Mexican War declared by American Government, as it was unjust to colonize other nations (United States itself was separated from British colonization through revolution). For this misdeed, he was imprisoned for a night. Although the crimes and the length of imprisonment of Thoreau and King were not same, both shared the same motive. Jacobus has pointed out that both Thoreau and King were willing to suffer for their views, especially with punitive laws denying civil rights to all citizens (King, 211). Socrates, a great philosopher in human history, also had followed the same path of breaking unjust laws.
During times of war, it is understandable that the Government will be more apt to protect its people. In the United States, terrorism has become a major concern. This has come to light more recently after the 9/11 attack in 2004. Americans have been told that terrorism is their biggest enemy. Though in the attempts to obtain security, the people of the United States are giving up their freedoms and others are having those same freedoms taken away from them.
He had blamed Iraq to be holding terrorists, he had made America believe that Iraq had been under Saddam Hussein’s clutches and that whatever he had to say was law. President Bush had stated in his speech that, “Saddam Hussein is harboring terrorists and the instruments of terror, the instruments of terror of mass death and destruction, and he cannot be trusted. The risk is simply too great that he will use them or provide them to a terror network”. He had made Americans believe that Hussein was creating weapons and developing a nuclear weapon so that he could “blackmail” the world. President Bush had not trusted Saddam Hussein and he didn’t want rest of America to either.
The ones that are against racial profiling have thought of an alternative solution, which is behavioral profiling. Behavioral profiling, hence the name, means to base the law enforcers' suspicion according to that person’s behavior instead of race. With this more effective system, it balances our protection from both terrorism and violating someone’s civil rights. One reasonable example on why we shouldn’t racial profile is the popular bomber in United Kingdom, Richard Reid, who doesn’t fit the profile that they have created for terrorists. Individuals have also made good arguments about the negative outcome that racial profiling might bring to our society.