“The Party that Freed the Slaves” 0

In the Depression, there was a wisecrack (which I have mentioned before) that the Party that freed the slaves had become the party that frayed the sleeves.

In its most recent incarnation, the Republican Party has become not only the party that frays the sleeves, but also the party that flays the (alleged–proof is not required in their world) knaves.

Torture is a war crime because civilized persons decided that some things are just wrong. Period. Civilized persons don’t do them. And torture is one of them.

It is distressing that, 60 years after the Nuremberg trials and three centuries after the Inquisition and the witch trials, an American political party has demarcated espousing uncivilized behavior as a test of party loyalty.

For at least some Republicans, ethics are apparently no more.

Andrew Sullivan has several long posts cataloging how supporting war crimes has become Republican orthodoxy. Here is the first one, which is probably also the best.

He missed one reason.

Ordering little men to the rack, to the thumbscrew, to the iron maiden lets other little men feel big.

Torture is Republican Viagra.