Monday, November 05, 2007

Hanged, drawn, and quartered.

Since tonight is Guy Fawkes Night in England I have been thinking about torture. Guy Fawkes, after being captured near barrels of gunpowder in the basement of the British Parliament, was executed for treason using a rather barbaric, by modern standards, method of being hanged, drawn, and quartered. This method of execution, although utterly ruthless, was reserved for traitors to the crown. Before his execution, Guy Fawkes was tortured for information regarding his co-conspirators. Four hundred and two years ago in England this method of interrogation had to be approved by the king. I am not saying that we should bring back some of the wonderful methods used in Medieval Europe, but it would be nice to have somebody in the government finally decided if torture is constitutional. Because, clearly, when dealing with people like the current crop of crazies, regular methods just don't apply. We can not torture people one day and apologizes to them for it the next because we now think that torture in unconstitutional. Tougher enemies and tougher times call for tougher measures.

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