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1、DAVIDLUBANLIBERALISM,TORTURE,ANDTHETICKINGBOMBTortureusedtobeincompatiblewithAmericanvalues.OurBillofRightsforbidscruelandunusualpunishment,andthathascometoincludeallformsofcorporalpunishmentexceptprisonanddeathbymethodspur-portedtobepainless.Americansandourgovernmentcondemnst
2、atesthattorture;wegrantasylumorrefugetothosewhofearit.TheSenateratifiedtheConventionAgainstTorture,Congressenactedantitorturelegislation,andjudicialopinionsspokeof“thedastardlyandtotallyinhumanactoftorture.”1ThencameSeptember11.Lessthanaweeklater,afeaturestoryreportedthataquiz
3、inauniversityethicsclass“gavefourchoicesfortheproperU.S.responsetotheterroristattacks:A.)executetheperpetratorsonsight;B.)bringthembackfortrialintheU.S.;C.)subjecttheperpe-tratorstoaninternationaltribunal;orD.)tortureandinterrogatethoseinvolved.”MoststudentschoseAandD–executet
4、hemonsightandtorturethem.2SixweeksafterSeptember11,theNewYorkTimesreportedthattorturehadbecomeatopicofconversation“inbars,oncommutertrains,andatdinnertables.”3Bymid-November2001,theChristianScienceMonitorfoundthatoneinthreesurveyedAmericansfavoredtorturingterrorsuspects.4Ameri
5、canabhorrencetotorturenowappearstohaveextraordinarilyshallowroots.Toanimportantextent,one’sstanceontorturerunsindependentofprogressiveorconservativeideology.AlanDershowitzwouldpermittorture,provideditisregulatedbyajudicialwarrantrequirement;5andliberalsenatorCharlesSchumerhasp
6、ubliclypoo-poo-edtheidea“thattortureshouldnever,everbeused.”6HearguesthateveryUSsenatorwouldbacktorturetofindoutwhereatickingtimebombisplanted.Ontheotherhand,WilliamSafire,aself-described“conservativeandcard-carryinghard-liner,”expressesrevulsionat“phony-tough”protortureargume
7、nts,andforthrightlylabelstorture“barbarism.”7Examplesliketheseillustratehowvitalitistoavoidasimpleleft-rightreductionism.Forthemostpart,Americanconservativesbelongnolessthanpro-gressivestoliberalculture,broadlyunderstood.Here,whenIspeakof“liberalism,”Imeanitinthebroadsenseused
8、bypoliticalphilosophers249S.P.Lee(ed.),Intervention,Terrorism
