Tortured democracy by Sharon Kayne

Torturing terror suspects has even been justified by pointing out that these are people who would do the same to us. Therein lies the greatest tragedy. When we treat terrorists as they treat us, we become terrorists ourselves.

We claim to be fighting a war on terror, but what we’re really fighting is a war of fear. We have allowed the Sept. 11 hijackers to pull us down to their level. We’ve allowed ourselves to be led astray, to cast off our humanity, our lofty ideals — our very souls — by the fear that such men could attack us again. This fear allows us to rationalize treating others in ways we cannot imagine being treated ourselves. It allows us to rationalize turning our backs on the very doctrines that make this country great.

Our government has not only committed war crimes in our name and with our money, but with our tacit consent as well. Where is our outrage? Our moral indignation? Perhaps, as a country, we lost it just as Sen. Durbin did — when we lost our nerve. When we forfeit our duty to stand up and speak out, we forfeit our right to live free ourselves. This is what we should truly fear.