The Genie In The Bottle

Once upon a time…
This is how the stories begin, and from the first four words we know the ending we expect. No matter how old we grow, we continue to be affected by the tales of our childhood. These stories fill us with dreams and expectations which, even as we take our knocks and draw on the mantle of cynicism, we cannot quite expunge. Somewhere in the deepest dregs of our consciousness, we all still dream of the happy ending.

Our lives are given over to the end result. We are a culture obsessed with the product, the end point, the elusive “conclusion” with little to no emphasis put on the process which got us there. The schooling we endure is for the purpose of a good job when we are older. The job we do is for the purpose of a paycheck, or a chance to climb that next rung on the corporate ladder. The paycheck is for the purpose of buying things, and the things are for the purpose of filling up that empty hole in our hearts where our life’s purpose ought to be.

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Let’s Talk About Torture

I have been proud to host many civil discussions on my column. We have talked about abortion, pornography, and various Bush controversies without ripping each other’s eyes out. It has been lovely.

But this is not going to be one of those articles.

Yesterday, the breaking news was that an American had actually been held and tortured at an American naval base in Iraq. His torture amounted only to being cold, subjected to bright lights and loud music, and repeatedly interrogated under the conviction that he was involved in something suspicious. He lost over three months of his life this way.

Now, compared to what others have lost in our prisons, this is nothing. Others have lost their dignity, their health, and their lives. What makes this story remarkable is that it is your final wake up call. Continue reading