Brian Sussman: Why don't you want to admit that Americans torture people?

After listening to two days of Brian Sussman's radio show on KSFO 560 (Hot Talk! Home of Michael Savage! Dr. Laura!) I finally got riled enough to write him. I'm sure that is just what he wanted but what is really upsetting is when people call up and AGREE with his outragous statements! That is what scares me. This former weatherman attempted to rile up the citizens of San Francisco by going after Dick Durbin's comments. Here is the letter I sent him.

Dear Brian:

I listened to your show yesterday and today and I'm glad that your show is just an act. I mean it has to be because I can't believe you were seriously focusing on what Dick Durbin was saying as if what he said was the real issue and not the systematic torture that Americans have been involved in under this President and the policies approved by the Justice Department.

By focusing on what Durbin said you are falling into the same trap that Rush Limbaugh did when he simply focused on the photos at Abu Ghraib. Clearly you think your listeners don't read and you are probably right. The real issue? That American soldier and our agents in other counties are torturing people to death. Maybe "extraordinary rendition" sounds nicer than "flying people to other countries to have them tortured to death".

I thought I heard you come out for torture the other day by playing the classification system game. Since it is all just an act just come out and say you think it is GREAT that we torture people. That should serve your purpose of upsetting the good people of San Francisco. Then when you go home to your daughter and she is horrified that her Daddy would approve of torturing people (who you don't KNOW are guilty) you can say, "Oh honey it's just an act. Daddy really doesn't approve of torturing innocent people." But maybe I'm wrong.

I really find this "sure we torture, but not as bad as those other guys" argument very lame.

Brian, here are two questions.

1) How many people do you think have died from abuse and torture in Abu Ghraib? None? Wrong.


"There were five cases of detainee deaths as a result of abuse by U.S. personnel during interrogations... There are 23 cases of detainee deaths still under investigation..."
--The Schlesinger Report, August 2004

We now know that the number is higher, but I never even hear about these 5 dead or the other 23. Only about the ones with "underwear on their head".

2) How many people were involved in the abuse and torture at Abu Ghraib? Seven? Wrong.

Based on the Taguba report, the Red Cross report and yes even the photographs themselves, clearly more than seven military police were involved.

"The new reports not only decisively prove what was long known, widening the circle of direct blame for what happened at Abu Ghraib to nearly fifty people, including military intelligence soldier and officers (although subsequent disclosures suggest that the number is at least twice that.)"
--Mark Danner, Torture and Truth America, Abu Ghraib, and the War on Terror. p. 27

I know you won't read my letter on the air because it has facts and no swear word you can bleep. Sorry about that. I'll try and help you churn up your audience with some other letter based on your next fake outrage.

Sincerely,

Spocko (Not my real name.)
San Francisco (my real city)

-- Spocko.
Author of Spocko's Brain, the blog that is sweeping the nation. Now with 15 readers!



UPDATE: So Brian wrote me back! Cool. Good for him. Here is his note:

From: Brian Sussman
To: "Mr. spocko"
Date: Jun 17, 2005 8:04 PM
Subject: Re: Why don't you want to admit that Americans torture people?

no beating around the "Bush" on this one:torture of those who would like to kill us is okay by me. I've said it on the radio and will make sure I say it again loud and clear for misguided people like you.

Suss

So now I just need to point out that lots of people who are being tortured ARE NOT OUT TO KILL US!

I'm glad he is clear on this issue. I wonder if he is okay with torturing people who AREN'T trying to kill us? Okay Mr. Weatherman. How do we know if they are trying to kill us or not? Torture them?

Torture is wrong on so many levels and not always for the reasons obviously cited.
I'd write some more, but I have to stop the torture of some people whom I suspect want to kill Brian Sussman. (That is a joke: I'm not going to stop them.... Okay That was the joke, but I think Sussman is serious and it saddens me because he gives weathermen a bad name. Maybe all those years of getting blamed for the rainy weekend finally made him crack.)