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Civilizing Torture - An American Tradition (Hardcover)
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Civilizing Torture - An American Tradition (Hardcover)
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Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History Most Americans believe
that a civilized state does not resort to torture, and yet, as W.
Fitzhugh Brundage reveals in this essential and disturbing study,
there is a long American tradition of excusing as well as decrying
its use. The pilgrims and merchants who first came to America from
Europe professed an intention to create a society free of the
barbarism of Old World tyranny and New World savagery. But over the
centuries Americans have turned to torture during moments of crisis
at home and abroad and have debated its legitimacy in defense of
law and order. From the Indian wars to Civil War POW prisons and
early penitentiaries, from "the third degree" in police stations
and racial lynchings to the War on Terror, U.S. institutions have
proven to be far more amenable to torture than the nation's
professed commitment to liberty would suggest. Legal and racial
inequality fostered many opportunities for state agents to wield
excessive power, which they justified as essential for American
safety and well-being. Reconciling state violence with the
aspirations of Americans for social and political justice is an
enduring challenge. By tracing the historical debates about the
efficacy of torture and the attempt to adapt it to democratic
values, Civilizing Torture reveals the recurring struggle to decide
what limits Americans are willing to impose on the power of the
state. At a time of escalating rhetoric aimed at cleansing the
nation of the undeserving, as well as ongoing military involvement
in conflicts around the world, the debate over torture remains a
critical and unresolved part of America's tradition.
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