Advocating for the United States Abolition of Torture
Advocating for the United States Abolition of Torture
The United States has always prided itself on being a country of freedom. A country with liberty and justice for all. How can we as a nation still pride ourselves on these virtues when we subject people to torture? Where does the line get drawn when we allow torture to be used? We look at the Constitutional rights and the Geneva Convention, as having rules which clearly frown upon the use of torture. However under the Patriot Act we have seen the use of powers under this act to allow the use of torture which contradict the Constitution and the Geneva Convention, which were intended to stop the use of torture, and this become an issue. Do we terminate the use of torture, or do we continue to use the cruel, inhumane, and degrading acts on captivated ‘terrorists’? The United States has violated the United States Constitutional rights by justifying the use of torture while abusing the laws set up to make boundaries against torture. Prisoners have certain Constitutional rights:
“Inmates of American prisons do not have the full constitutional civil rights of an ordinary citizen, but they do receive some protection under the Constitution. Among these rights are the right to a punishment that is not cruel and unusual, due process, the right of access to parole and the right not to be discriminated against.” (Faranda) I agree that prisoners shouldn’t have all the same rights as everyone else, but I do not agree with the use of torture on prisoners who have been captured and held as suspected terrorist because they deserve the right to be treated humanely.
The Constitution was ratified in June 1788, and in September 1789, Congress approved all 12 amendments and then directed them to all the states for ratification. Then, in December 1791, 10 out of the original 12 amendments were formally incorporated in the United States constitution. When the Constitution was created it was for the purpose of creating a
The United States has always prided itself on being a country of freedom. A country with liberty and justice for all. How can we as a nation still pride ourselves on these virtues when we subject people to torture? Where does the line get drawn when we allow torture to be used? We look at the Constitutional rights and the Geneva Convention, as having rules which clearly frown upon the use of torture. However under the Patriot Act we have seen the use of powers under this act to allow the use of torture which contradict the Constitution and the Geneva Convention, which were intended to stop the use of torture, and this become an issue. Do we terminate the use of torture, or do we continue to use the cruel, inhumane, and degrading acts on captivated ‘terrorists’? The United States has violated the United States Constitutional rights by justifying the use of torture while abusing the laws set up to make boundaries against torture. Prisoners have certain Constitutional rights:
“Inmates of American prisons do not have the full constitutional civil rights of an ordinary citizen, but they do receive some protection under the Constitution. Among these rights are the right to a punishment that is not cruel and unusual, due process, the right of access to parole and the right not to be discriminated against.” (Faranda) I agree that prisoners shouldn’t have all the same rights as everyone else, but I do not agree with the use of torture on prisoners who have been captured and held as suspected terrorist because they deserve the right to be treated humanely.
The Constitution was ratified in June 1788, and in September 1789, Congress approved all 12 amendments and then directed them to all the states for ratification. Then, in December 1791, 10 out of the original 12 amendments were formally incorporated in the United States constitution. When the Constitution was created it was for the purpose of creating a
Bibliography: Faranda, Jon. “Constitutional Rights of Inmates.”eHow. 2012. 14 Jan. 2012. Current Controversies Series. Greenhaven Press, 2006. Infotrac. WSHS Library. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://ic.galegroup.com>. web. Mehta, Suketu. “ Who wrote the Bill of Rights.” Buzzle.Com. 2010. 14 Jan. 2012. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/who-wrote-the-bill-of-rights.html>.web. Ninomiya, Kent. “What Is the Patriot Act.”eHow. 2012. 14 Jan. 2012. <http://www.