On Thu, 23 May 2013 23:26:34 -0500, Ian B MacLure wrote:
> Please define torture. I have noted that the usual suspects
> tend to equate mild discomfort with the rack and death of
> a thousand cuts.
I went through a DOD hostage survival course that was two days of
classroom instruction and one day of practical.
The instructors were down in San Antonio from the survival school at
Fairchild. One of them had been an interpreter with the USMC before
enlisting in the Air Force. Sergeant Habib, formerly of Lebanon.
In the practical scenario I was a part of our plane had already been
hijacked and five us were sitting at the front of the room. The rest of
the class was sitting at the back of the room and the lights were out.
An overhead projector was used to illuminate us.
Sgt. Habib was telling us five that, as a show of good faith to the
United States, one of us would be released but we had to decide who that
person would be.
As he's talking the light from the overhead is shining directly into my
eyes so I look to the side.
*BLAM!*
From out of the darkness a hand came and slapped me across the face.
"Look at me when I talk to you! LOOK AT ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!"
After getting my bell rung with no warning I decided looking at him when
he talked to me was sage advice that I would follow immediately. I may
have written it down, too.
So, should I sue the US Air Force and the US Government for torture?
How about all of those special forces personnel from the different
services who have been water boarded?
After the scenario ended Sgt. Habib came over to shake my hand and make
sure my head was out of the scenario and back to reality. I told him I
was happy he hadn't thrown water in my face and slammed me into the
walls like he did the guy in the scenario ahead of me. I also told him
my name was "Jeff", like my mother named me, and not "Blackie", like he
had been calling me based on the color of my skin.
We voted to allow the one girl in our group to be released and Sgt.
Habib objected, wondering why the oppressed "Blackie" wasn't allowed to
go home. Funny, I didn't feel oppressed. I just felt like crying like
a girl because the side of my face was on fire.
--
-Jeff B.
zoo...@fastmail.fm
"Excuse me.
I don't mean to impose,
but I am the Ocean."
~ The Salton Sea