The Reality of Saying "Never."

By Robert Wiles

Never! Over the years, we have heard many say the word "never" in regards to the subject of "torture." We've heard it being mentioned by the Left and even some Republican pundits. So, what is this "torture" they are referring to? Well, let's call it by its real name; waterboarding. Waterboarding has been called "sick" and "unethical". Its use in gathering information from Islamic terrorists has been labeled as "inhumane." No, I don't want to see humanity become savage-like, but we do have an obligation to protect our citizens, even if it means using tactics such as waterboarding to obtain the information to do so. 

 As we have recently learned, the whereabouts and ultimate killing of Osama Bin Laden may have been tied to this practice. It should be noted, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has refuted that waterboarding had anything to do with the finding and killing of Bin Laden. My question is this, since when has the protection of those that want to destroy the innocent become more important than the innocent themselves? Why is it that so many condemn an act that helps save lives; yet, condone the act of killing a fetus? Yes, we can debate the issue of torture, but what about the protection of the innocent (both adult and fetus?) We have a long way to go America.

Here is an ethical scenario where many said "never." In 1973, a plane crashed on the snow capped peaks of the Andes Mountains. Forty-five people were aboard that plane and sixteen were rescued. Many lauded the survivors as "heroes" until they found out how they had survived. These individuals had survived seventy-three days in harsh, freezing temperatures by eating the remains of those that had not survived the plane crash. The shouts of "heroism" soon became shouts "cannibalism". These survivors were mocked and ridiculed for their method of survival. Prior to the plane crash, many would have said "never," but on that terrible day and thereafter, "never" became a reality. It's odd what one will do when your life depends on it. You can read about the story here.

Survival, is part of reality. Many say that we, as humans, should not lower ourselves to the level of "torture" "inhumanity" and "cannibalism." I agree, but where does one draw that line? Is it at the point where we allow evil to run rampant and the innocent to become victims? I, personally, am one who doubts when someone uses the phrase "I'd never." Don't get me wrong, I respect that they are repulsed by the idea of doing something that they deem "barbaric", but in the back of my mind I wonder...what if that scenario actually became a reality in their life? Would they still deem it "barbaric?" Yes, maybe my thinking is the worst case scenario, but once again, survival is part of reality and most people want to survive. Here's the moral of the story, never say "never."
   
Do I think waterboarding is immoral? No. Do I think it should be used to gather information from would be terrorists? Yes. Folks, we live in a society that deems spanking a child as immoral and giving an "F" to a student as emotionally damaging. What use to be considered normal is now considered anathema; thus, our downward spiral as a society. Progressivism wants to protect the rights of the terrorist, but take away the rights of  parents and teachers. Isn't that just great? So what do we do, let the terrorist run rampant and jail the parents and the teachers? Are we not going to search for truth when innocent lives are at stake? For many "never" has not become a reality and hopefully never will. The day that "never" becomes a reality in one's life...you will never say "never" again.