No truth too dangerous

We’ve heard, “too big to fail,” and its correlative, “too big to jail,” and now we’re hearing the inevitable, predictable warning, “it’s too dangerous to tell the truth.” If America reveals how its government tortured prisoners and how its government lied to them about it, its enemies will wreak havoc. It could cost American lives. We are told.

So the only conclusion to this propaganda if accepted is we as a nation must perpetuate the lies that were told, or at the least never publicly admit them because the consequences could be too dire. That’s the story we’re asked to swallow and the rationale behind it.

Taken to its logical conclusion, the truth about matters, the awful truth about things that were done by our government in our name must never be revealed, must be kept secret and never be brought into the light. And that of course means those things that were done can be repeated on into the future, using the same excuses and lies – it had to be done for the security of our nation – until the practice of torture becomes an accepted reality.

Our government did something exceptional and demonstrated unusual courage and morality by revealing the truth about what was done and the lies that were told to cover it up. It should not stop there if we are to avoid this from ever happening again. There must be accountability to match the uncovering of the abominations that were done in order to prevent its happening again.

This is why we had Nuremberg, truth and reconciliation hearings in South Africa and the great civil liberties acts in the 1960s. We must recognize what was done, hold those most accountable and then change our ways so that past transgressions of such a terrible nature are never repeated. There is no other way.

Will Shonbrun
Boyes Springs