Torture

[KingsGambit]

In all seriousness, a few years ago they released a list of songs that were used to torture prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Lots of Metallica, etc., but the "I Love You" song from Barney was also on there.

[seer]

but the "I Love You" song from Barney was also on there.

That would break me!

[Starlight]

Given the choice between 20 years in a 5x8 cell with rapists

Here's Norway's nicest prison, which is basically an island resort. (Admittedly prisoners from their normal prisons do have to apply to go there and only those with exemplary records are chosen, and if the prisoners act-up once they're there they're put back into normal prisons) But let's just say that much of the rest of the Western world regards the way the US treats its prisoners as being criminally inhumane and a massive breach of human rights. The Irish courts recently refused to grant extradition of an alleged terrorist to the US, on the grounds that the US prison system was criminally inhumane.

And I have done a rant before about the US acceptance of prison rape. Prison rape is not a thing elsewhere in the Western world. The way Americans seem to just blithely accept the existence of prison rape and turn a blind eye to stopping it, horrifies me. When I looked at the statistics on sexual assault in prisons across different countries, the US rate was something like 50-100 times higher than most of the other nations that had some levels of it, and in most Western countries the rate was zero.

[seer]

Here's Norway's nicest prison, which is basically an island resort. (Admittedly prisoners from their normal prisons do have to apply to go there and only those with exemplary records are chosen, and if the prisoners act-up once they're there they're put back into normal prisons) But let's just say that much of the rest of the Western world regards the way the US treats its prisoners as being criminally inhumane and a massive breach of human rights. The Irish courts recently refused to grant extradition of an alleged terrorist to the US, on the grounds that the US prison system was criminally inhumane.

And I have done a rant before about the US acceptance of prison rape. Prison rape is not a thing elsewhere in the Western world. The way Americans seem to just blithely accept the existence of prison rape and turn a blind eye to stopping it, horrifies me. When I looked at the statistics on sexual assault in prisons across different countries, the US rate was something like 50-100 times higher than most of the other nations that had some levels of it, and in most Western countries the rate was zero.

Well if I decide to rob a bank I'm going to Norway to do it!

[Leonhard]

Well if I decide to rob a bank I'm going to Norway to do it!

Isn't it strange that despite these mild prisons, these welfare societies, Scandinavia remains peaceful and nice, with solid economic growth and with significantly less crime than the US. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

[Trout]

I read this thread, I'm feeling tortured.

[seer]

Isn't it strange that despite these mild prisons, these welfare societies, Scandinavia remains peaceful and nice, with solid economic growth and with significantly less crime than the US. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Yes, I guess when you are all pretty much one race it is easy to get along.

[Meh Gerbil]

Isn't it strange that despite these mild prisons, these welfare societies, Scandinavia remains peaceful and nice, with solid economic growth and with significantly less crime than the US. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

It isn't surprising that after WWII those societies least impacted by the war would end up doing really well.
Also, those societies tend to be more homogenous.

I think the recent influx of immigrants will change that over the next couple of decades.
I hope not.

[Meh Gerbil]

Here's
And I have done a rant before about the US acceptance of prison rape. Prison rape is not a thing elsewhere in the Western world. The way Americans seem to just blithely accept the existence of prison rape and turn a blind eye to stopping it, horrifies me. When I looked at the statistics on sexual assault in prisons across different countries, the US rate was something like 50-100 times higher than most of the other nations that had some levels of it, and in most Western countries the rate was zero.

If you cannot prevent the rape then you shouldn't be allowed to imprison people. Period.

[Roy]

I'm strongly against torture. For me, it's the Golden Rule. I don't want to be tortured. I don't want Americans to be tortured. When we allow torture as a society, we give approval for every other country to torture any Americans they capture. A great many countries abide by the international rules that were put into place regarding torture, including the US.

Not including the US. The US uses torture against detainees held abroad.

[Meh Gerbil]

Not including the US. The US uses torture against detainees held abroad.

I'm for holding the US Government accountable for this behavior and I'd love to see some officials do hard time for it.
I don't think that accountability will come since the USA is no longer ruled by the law, much less treaties.

This is an example of why politicians who break the law need to be swiftly and thoroughly punished; however, thanks to partisan politics we usually end up fighting each other instead of the criminal politician. Every time we let people like Hillary Clinton off, or George Bush, or [fill in the blank] we are tacitly giving permission to our government to go on breaking the law in even more egregious ways. Make no mistake: If they can do this to the swarthy Muslim fellow with impunity they can do exactly the same to anyone, including white Christians.

[Sparko]

Well yes, if a certain unnamed Gerbil was doing the singing...

This is how they torture people on The Walking Dead.

[Sparko]

Here's Norway's nicest prison, which is basically an island resort. (Admittedly prisoners from their normal prisons do have to apply to go there and only those with exemplary records are chosen, and if the prisoners act-up once they're there they're put back into normal prisons) But let's just say that much of the rest of the Western world regards the way the US treats its prisoners as being criminally inhumane and a massive breach of human rights. The Irish courts recently refused to grant extradition of an alleged terrorist to the US, on the grounds that the US prison system was criminally inhumane.

And I have done a rant before about the US acceptance of prison rape. Prison rape is not a thing elsewhere in the Western world. The way Americans seem to just blithely accept the existence of prison rape and turn a blind eye to stopping it, horrifies me. When I looked at the statistics on sexual assault in prisons across different countries, the US rate was something like 50-100 times higher than most of the other nations that had some levels of it, and in most Western countries the rate was zero.

Never seen a Mexican prison then?

[Meh Gerbil]

Here's And I have done a rant before about the US acceptance of prison rape. Prison rape is not a thing elsewhere in the Western world.

That's because all European men are willing. (1)










NOTES
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1: That was a joke. A tasteless joke but I'm demented enough to be incapable of looking past an opportunity to bash Europe.

[Jedidiah]

Here's Norway's nicest prison, which is basically an island resort. (Admittedly prisoners from their normal prisons do have to apply to go there and only those with exemplary records are chosen, and if the prisoners act-up once they're there they're put back into normal prisons) But let's just say that much of the rest of the Western world regards the way the US treats its prisoners as being criminally inhumane and a massive breach of human rights. The Irish courts recently refused to grant extradition of an alleged terrorist to the US, on the grounds that the US prison system was criminally inhumane.

And I have done a rant before about the US acceptance of prison rape. Prison rape is not a thing elsewhere in the Western world. The way Americans seem to just blithely accept the existence of prison rape and turn a blind eye to stopping it, horrifies me. When I looked at the statistics on sexual assault in prisons across different countries, the US rate was something like 50-100 times higher than most of the other nations that had some levels of it, and in most Western countries the rate was zero.

I have to agree with a large share of this even though it is slightly exaggerated. There is no reason that the prisons should be the way they are. I do not think it should be comfortable to be in prison, but the conditions in US (and some other) prisons is not good.