Music, Torture and my Opinions

This story that ran on MSNBC is really disgusting. (2 pages)

As someone who is both an avid fan of music and being someone who contributes to an artistic craft (writing), I am offended by this on many levels. I am on a personal level, because as a writer, I would not want any of my works to be used to inflict harm on another person. Including papercuts, or pummeling someone to death with my forthcoming short story collection.

However, I expect nothing less from this administration. Our current resident in the Office of President and his cabinet have no respect for human or civil rights. We have allowed this administration to hijack basic human decency. We let them, through our military branches to kidnap people that we think are 'terrorists', including children.

What drives me crazy is none of this was done with Artist's consent. They used songs that are for Children's shows (I Love You, from TV's Barney), played at ear splitting volumes while shackled in uncomfortable positions. Yes, they've used Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine, both of whom have been vocal critics of this current administration.

Some musicians see the situation rather differently.

Some musicians, however, say they’re proud that their music is used in interrogations. Those include bassist Stevie Benton, whose group Drowning Pool has performed in Iraq and recorded one of the interrogators’ favorites, “Bodies.”

“People assume we should be offended that somebody in the military thinks our song is annoying enough that played over and over it can psychologically break someone down,” he told Spin magazine. “I take it as an honor to think that perhaps our song could be used to quell another 9/11 attack or something like that."

Okay... so when John McCain was tortured, it would have been okay to play "Born in the USA" at top volume outside of his cell in addition to stabbing him in the groin? I mean, I can have been tortured by music at times, but usually, I can leave.

The point I think Benton is missing is that this will not really stop another 9/11. If you think that the people being held against all international laws are not going to be pissed at the people/country/government that just decided to torture them... let's look at John McCain again.

John McCain recently (Campaign 2008) told reporters that he hated [racial Asian slur here]s. Now, I feel for Mr. McCain. No, really, stop laughing. I do, if he was tortured, I do feel pity for the man that he cannot forgive a race of people. Do I take John McCain at his word that he uses that word only for those who tortured him? No. I do not. Because you're just as racist by saying ' I only use the term N---er for those who act like N---ers.' You're still marginalizing people by the color of their skin, or their heritage. Or any other racist term you may want to sling out there.

If John McCain a war hero cannot let go of his hatred after being tortured (while not legal to torture, it was legal to detain Mr. McCain as he was a uniformed enemy combatant; most of the detainees at GTMO or the other black operations prisons we have set up are not recognized by any international body), who's to say that anyone in our illegal prison camps will let go of theirs?

Torturing people will not stop crazy idiots from bombing something that they want to bomb. Maybe our actions towards those less fortunate than us might stop some of the psychopaths from recruiting people.

And if you morons in the DoD are going to condone music as a form of torture... at least pick something that doesn't make you look like idiots, like Rage, or Nine Inch Nails.

Please, use Springsteen, or Nugent, or some other idiot that has blind patriotism.