Will Sean Hannity go through with his commitment to be waterboarded for charity?

[FedererFan]

Pretty much all of it.

In what way?

For people here who feel waterboarding is not torture, what techniques do you think constitute torture? What about them qualifies them as torture? What are the material differences between the torture techniques and waterboarding?

 

[oldbetang]

In what way?
f

In the US prodedure, the subject is not stood on end with head almost touching the floor and feet in the air. Also the water is not poured in large quantities and is done in a much more controlled manner, under Doctor supervision.

 

[FedererFan]

In the US prodedure, the subject is not stood on end with head almost touching the floor and feet in the air. Also the water is not poured in large quantities and is done in a much more controlled manner, under Doctor supervision.

You think that's sufficiently different? I disagree.

Also, I'd be curious to your answer to the second part of my question if you'd care to explain (or a reference/link to a previous post if you've already explained it).

 

[oldbetang]

For people here who feel waterboarding is not torture, what techniques do you think constitute torture? What about them qualifies them as torture? What are the material differences between the torture techniques and waterboarding?

The United States Code of Law, specifically Title I, Chapter 113C, section 2340, defines torture as the following:


(1) “torture” means an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control;
(2) “severe mental pain or suffering” means the prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting from—
(A) the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering;
(B) the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality;
(C) the threat of imminent death; or
(D) the threat that another person will imminently be subjected to death, severe physical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality.


The waterboarding technique employed by the US does not meet any of that criteria. Ripping a subject's toenail off with a pair of pliers without the use of anesthetic would be torture. Believe me ,I know.

 

[FedererFan]

The United States Code of Law, specifically Title I, Chapter 113C, section 2340, defines torture as the following:


(1) “torture” means an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control;
(2) “severe mental pain or suffering” means the prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting from—
(A) the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering;
(B) the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality;
(C) the threat of imminent death; or
(D) the threat that another person will imminently be subjected to death, severe physical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality.


The waterboarding technique employed by the US does not meet any of that criteria. Ripping a subject's toenail off with a pair of pliers without the use of anesthetic would be torture. Believe me ,I know.

You don't think waterboarding falls under (D): "Procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality." It's done to simulate drowning. It disrupts your senses such that you sense that you are drowning when you are not. I think it falls under this definition.

 

[oldbetang]

You don't think waterboarding falls under (D): "Procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality." It's done to simulate drowning. It disrupts your senses such that you sense that you are drowning when you are not. I think it falls under this definition.

I disagree. The senses and personality are not disrupted enough to have any lasting effect.

 

[CruciFixed]

In reply to the OP:
Its hard to tell. When I regain my psychic abilities I'll let you all know what he plans on doing.

 

[Morcova]

I disagree. The senses and personality are not disrupted enough to have any lasting effect.

How often have you undergone the procedure to be able to make such a statement?

 

[FedererFan]

I disagree. The senses and personality are not disrupted enough to have any lasting effect.

Are there any studies that show this? Or is it just your personal opinion?

I'm actually asking. I really don't know. If there are studies, I'd be curious to see them and what they found, if anything, about the lasting effects of waterboarding.

If the studies have already been posted in this thread, just direct me to them.

 

[Sphere]

There are no studies, its his personal opinion. Maybe he can let Christopher Hitchens know that there are no lasting effects or that it's not torture.

 

[blueapplepaste]

Are there any studies that show this? Or is it just your personal opinion?

I'm actually asking. I really don't know. If there are studies, I'd be curious to see them and what they found, if anything, about the lasting effects of waterboarding.

If the studies have already been posted in this thread, just direct me to them.

There was an story on NPR about this. Apparently they have done studies where our soldiers have undergone it and they showed no lasting consequence. Based on these studies they ruled that it didn't amount to torture. However, they also pointed out that the soldiers are probably not comparable to the suspected terrorists because the soldiers know they aren't going to die and they can make it stop anytime.

The suspects don't know they aren't going to die, and can't make it stop when they can no longer take it. So under those circumstances it very well could have long lasting consequences. I think the only way to accurately tell would be to have people be subjected to it, but even when they ask for it to stop, don't let it stop, and push it to the point that they think they are going to die. However, a study like this would be beyond unethical and likely to never happen.

 

[Ringo84]

In the US prodedure, the subject is not stood on end with head almost touching the floor and feet in the air. Also the water is not poured in large quantities and is done in a much more controlled manner, under Doctor supervision.

So essentially, the difference is in style and the fact that we pretend to care about those that we torture by ostensibly having a doctor present. I'm not convinced.

(1) “torture” means an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control;
(2) “severe mental pain or suffering” means the prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting from—
(A) the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering;
(B) the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality;
(C) the threat of imminent death; or
(D) the threat that another person will imminently be subjected to death, severe physical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality.

Would simulated drowning not count as pain and suffering? How about damage to lungs? Dry drowning? All of those are listed as effects of waterboarding.

It would seem that waterboarding does fit the criteria.

I disagree. The senses and personality are not disrupted enough to have any lasting effect.

According to whom? You?
Ringo

 

[Panzerkamfwagen]

I hope he does.

He's sometimes a blowhard who annoys me.

 

[jgarden]

Just two weeks ago Sean Hannity said in a discussion/debate with Charles Grogin that he would be willingly waterboarded for charity. What are your thoughts? Think he'll do it?

Hannity Offers To Be Waterboarded For Charity (By Charles Grodin!)

**********************************************************
There is a huge difference between submitting to "torture" for charity and experiencing the real thing.

At worst, Hannity gets to experience a few moments of personal "discomfort" - in the full knowledge that he is among friends and will be going home to the security of his home, his family and a nice warm bed.

 

[MrGoodBytes]

**********************************************************
There is a huge difference between submitting to "torture" for charity and experiencing the real thing.

At worst, Hannity gets to experience a few moments of personal "discomfort" - in the full knowledge that he is among friends and will be going home to the security of his home, his family and a nice warm bed.

Still, it might make him think about how it feels when there are no friends present. It worked for Hitchens, after all.

 

[SOAD]

Why do people even waste their time on this guy? He is an opportunist and a yes man. Sykes pegged him the other night. She said she could "break Hannity by making him fly coach"!

 

[Wyzaard]

I disagree. The senses and personality are not disrupted enough to have any lasting effect.

Except for those problems our torture victims have had with bowel control, and the near complete lack of fight-flight response; waterboard someone a few hundred times, and you get an incontinent sociopath... who knew?