Tortured Poll

This is astounding.

If anyone ever doubts that the people of the United States are a brutal, primitive, weakening people, this should quell those doubts:

WASHINGTON: Nearly half of Americans believe the use of torture against suspected terrorists to gain information is justified, according to a survey published Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

The survey, involving 2,006 people from the general public, found that 46 percent believe that torturing terror suspects to gain important information is sometimes (31 percent) or often (15 percent) justified while 17 percent thought it is rarely justified and 32 percent were opposed.

That is incredible. America, the shining light of freedom, liberty and individual rights? My ass. Is it possible that the recent events of American torture are the norm for the United States? Did 911 simply remove the well coiffed veil?

Meanwhile, the same poll found that the administration has done a good job of selling it's position on torture:

"The general public is divided over this question - 48 percent believe soldiers and contractors are to blame, while 36 percent blame official policies," the report said.

And do you think that the "fear of terrorism" issue is receding? Think again:

As to concerns that anti-terrorism policies may be infringing on basic civil liberties, the survey found that 48 percent of the general public think current policies have not gone far enough to adequately protect the country while 34 percent worry they have gone too far in restricting civil liberties.

What, are the other 17% unsure? The great and decisive American middle.

Whenever I see information like the above quote, I cringe. Maybe I'm just getting old and crumudgeonly, but Americans have lost their guts. It seems that within my lifetime, people in general have become increasingly pampered and fragile. And this poll exposes an incredible degree of hypocrisy....we want to be able to torture anyone else, but are scared shitless of our own shadows.

Whatever happened to the courageous America?