A Spin on Torture
Regarding David Tell's "Torture Logic" (Nov. 28): If, as I have seen elsewhere, "torture" includes being deprived of sleep, being made to stand up for hours at a time, being shouted at, and being given unfamiliar food, then the Army tortured me for three months of basic training, and it did me nothing but good.
C.J. Olsen
Port Townsend, Wash.
No Place For Utopians
Hats off to Charles Krauthammer for his intellectually honest "The Truth about Torture" (Dec. 5), in which he adeptly illustrates a telling contrast between liberal and conservative ethics in practice. Liberals naively presume a utopian rest-state, so they seek policy that, theoretically, keeps us there (e.g., "we'll disallow torture anywhere, anyhow, anytime"). Conservatives readily acknowledge the permanency of mankind's sinful tendencies yet place endless faith in man's innate desire for good. Thus, they seek policy that turns our heads toward utopia while arming our hands with tools necessary for survival in this very wicked world (e.g., "we'll consider torture only in these extraordinary circumstances . . . "). Honor is not spawned from human purity but arises from the brave pursuit to improve our existence in a fallen world.
Todd Miller
Grayson, Ga.
Whiskey in the House
Joseph Lindsley's "Bourbon Renewal" (Nov. 28) reminded me of one of America's great orations, reportedly delivered in 1952 by Mississippi state representative Noah "Soggy" Sweat Jr. while Prohibition was being debated before the state legislature (Mississippi did not repeal its prohibition of alcohol until 1966, the last state to do so). Here is an excerpt from what we here in Mississippi know as the "Whiskey Speech":
"If when you say whiskey you mean the Devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty . . . then certainly I am against it.
"But if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink that enables a man to magnify his joy and his happiness . . . then certainly I am for it." So, in the latter spirit, I suggest you responsibly enjoy a little whiskey this Christmas season.
Brian Perry
Jackson, Miss.
Dislocated Solution?
Irwin M. Stelzer presciently observes in "Improving Bush's Vision" (Dec. 12) the public disdain for the dislocation of American jobs, which free-trading Republicans ignore at their peril. He is correct to describe Adam Smith as a savvy political economist. Note, then, that in Smith's quotation, he does not abhor duties, but rather "high duties." Unfortunately, Stelzer seems too reliant upon government programs in proposing a cure for the looming dislocations. It is admirable to seek ways to help American workers, but as a national economy, eventually we all will pay somehow for supporting the dislocated worker--either through government/ social programs or through higher product prices due to duties. Take your pick. The big difference is that government imposed programs are administered by the government, while duties, though likewise imposed by the government, are administered by the consumer.
Stan D. Donnelly
St. Paul, Minn.