Photos of the Iraqi Prisoners

There are several things that are troubling about the famous photos. They are photos of Iraqis being humiliated just because they are prisoners. They are photos of prison guards doing the humiliating. They are photos of American and British soldiers doing the humiliating. They are photos of people humiliating people. It's pretty clear to me that I, as just another person, could find myself in either position.

I could find myself a prisoner being degraded and humiliated by my prison guards. I can imagine a set of circumstances coming to pass that would put me in the same position as the poor Iraqi prisoners. It's not very hard to imagine. I could find myself swept up in a mass arrest (oh yes, it could happen), and in a prison with guards that had no regard for me.

Equally troubling is that I could find myself a prison guard who is degrading and humiliating prisoners. Yes, I can imagine a set of circumstances coming to pass that would put me in the same position as the American and British soldiers turned prison guards. It's not very hard to imagine either. I could find myself in a position of power over other people, and believing myself to be better, degrade and humiliate them. The ability of power to corrupt is well documented, and I fear that I could fall victim to it just as easily as anyone else. Let's not say to ourselves, "I could never do that!" Because, if we deny the possibility of it, that's what allows it to come to pass. If I deny my capacity to act out of my dark and evil side, I push that dark and evil side even closer to exploding. Let's rather say to ourselves, "Yeah, it could be me in that picture, smiling and giving the thumbs up, but for the grace of God it's not." Let's acknowledge that yes even Americans can treat others as less than human. Let's not look at ourselves as some kind of beacon on a hill that gives only light into the world. Let's realize that we as a country and as individuals have our evil capacities too.

Now, one last point, and here's where it get even stickier. Those photos show women doing the humiliating. Let's get past the point of thinking of women as the bearers of all things peaceful and gentle in this world, and acknowledge that they too have evil capacities. When a nation denies its ability to act in evil ways, it brings forward that very capacity. Likewise, when a gender denies its ability to act in evil ways, it brings forward that very capacity. Women have pushed their ability to denigrate and humiliate off onto men, who have pushed their ability to be peaceful and gentle off onto women. Let's stop the bullshit, and acknowledge that we all have both capacities.

Mark Twain once said that George Washington's declaration of "I cannot tell a lie" was not the best. Twain said, "I'll do you one better than that, I can tell a lie, but I won't." That's a much more ethical and realistic declaration. Let's take this opportunity to recognize that we American can be just as brutal and malicious as anyone else, but also to say that we won't.
- posted by Marcos @ 3:05 PM