Was torture perpetrated on the inmates at Guantanamo Bay and similar detention camps by the Americans, and possibly the British, upon Al Quaeda suspects? And were the US and UK governments aware it was happening? These are the ‘big questions’ that are being asked. Though why they’re being asked now when the term ‘waterboarding’ entered the collective consciousness over ten years ago, is another important question. They’re all important questions, fucking thousands of important questions are asked every day, but they don’t all make the newspapers. And stimulate international comment.

Ironically, those first to shout ‘j’accuse’ at the Amercians (because it was mainly them, really, we were just playing along) are those fine nations: China, Iran and every other morally upstanding place for which ‘human rights’ is in the glossary just under ‘Father Christmas’ and for whom torture is as part of their routines as jogging.
Is torture ever justified? This is the big one really.

Ok, so if YOUR family (I’m assuming you like them, just for the sake of argument; if you really hate your family, skip to section D) was under a threat, kidnapped, in serious trouble and a man (or a woman; there are bad women in this world, despite what they say to the contrary) holds the information required to find/release/save them; you would ‘beat it out of them’. I would. Anyone would. He’s a baddy, they’re loved ones, no-brainer; whatever it takes.

So Bush/Obama, faced with a similar problem, but instead of his ‘family’ its up to 10,000 innocent people under his watch? More importantly, 10,000 voters? Do you ‘beat it out’ of someone who might know?

Therefore its a matter of unambiguously deciding who is definitely a ‘baddie’. You can’t just pull some dark, swarthy, maybe smelly person who flips burgers at McDonalds and waterboard them. We’ve all tried that. There needs to be evidence, proof really that they are bad. And you can work it out. You just have to read enough books by Robert Ludlum, Dan Brown, Lee Childs and then you’ll know exactly who’s da baddies. And then you can get the pliers and soldering iron. Eeeuuuwww.

There’s a fabulous private school in Brighton, called Varndean College. And the sociology students have been sent an invitation for a fabulous opportunity to go and observe ‘the working classes’ at first hand. Nothing remotely patronising or snobbish about that then. Plus, as an added bonus, to witness ‘gender performance’, racism, sexism, mob-mentality, possibly violence, aggression… All just by going to see Milwall play against Brighton tomorrow night. They also promise a chance to ‘actually speak to football fans’.

“Oh, so you’re a smelly, working-class, stereotypically male, moronic, under-educated sexist, racist, banner-waving oik, are you?” Fortunately, there’s a hospital very nearby. Though the A&E unit is in all likelihood closed.

Good luck with the sociology

Hooray Henry
xxxx