[Dean's World] J.A. Eddy: Torture, Virtuous Equivocation, and Guy Fawkes

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by J.A. Eddy:
Torture, Virtuous Equivocation, and Guy Fawkes
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1194377263.shtml


   Two interesting articles I encountered today that are only
   tangentially related (They both reference Guy Fawkes):

   The first is a post from [1]Armed Liberal at Winds of Change discusses
   his position on torture, opening with the following:

     I've wrestled and wrestled with the issue; torture is obviously
     bad, but what is it about torture that is so expressly bad - why is
     it worse than the death and suffering that comes in war, or in the
     daily violence police officers do as a part of their jobs?

     In large part, it's the fact of violence against captives; against
     the helpless, the unarmed, those incapable of resisting. But that
     didn't get to the heart of what cleaves torture as an issue from
     violence as an issue. And why I - as someone who is decidedly not
     nonviolent - am so decidedly against and uncomfortable with issues
     of torture.

     I came to an answer, as I usually do, in an unplanned realization
     while reading a book.

   The ensuing article and the comments themselves are well worth your
   time.

   Second, via [2]Instapundit I found Dave Kopelâs 2001 article [3]Virtue
   in Equivocation where he references Guy Fawkes and the Gun Powder Plot
   as an introduction to the concept of virtuous lying, where it applies
   and where it doesnât. This was in relation to Osama Awadallah, a
   Jordanian student attending Grossmont College (a college in El Cajon,
   California, which caters to international students), being by a New
   York City grand jury for lying to the grand jury about his
   relationship with September 11 terrorists Nawaf Alhazmi and Khalid
   al-Midhar. He then goes on to explain how the concept of Virtue in
   Equivocation doesnât necessarily apply to Islamic radicals. In the
   process he also sheds light on the question of the rights of jurors
   and the concept of jury nullification.

   All in all, two very interesting takes on the assorted subjects.

References

   1. http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/armed_liberal_on_torture_people_should_not_fear_their_government_their_government_should_fear_the_people.php
   2. http://www.instapundit.com/
   3. http://davekopel.org/NRO/2001/Virtue-in-Equivocation.htm