Convergence d'esprit

A propos de mon dernier article et plus particulièrement à propos de l'anecdote sur les pérégrinations de mon ami arabe, un lecteur me fait remarquer que l'excellent Evoweb a lui aussi abordé cette question pas plus tard que le mois dernier.
Ne manquez pas non plus son dernier article sur la repentance, c'est aussi en rapport.

M.A.J : mon ami Jubal me signale que le très respectable Commentary Magazine se livre à un questionnement en profondeur au sujet de la torture, faisant passer mon dernier article pour un modèle de modération. Je signale au passage que mon propos n'était pas d'approuver l'usage de la torture comme certains l'ont semble-t-il cru mais bien de fantasmer sur l'application de la peine capitale en public pour les criminels de type terroriste, méthode qui, je persiste à le croire, ferait réfléchir ceux qui voient l'Occident comme un fruit trop mûr, près à tomber à la moindre secousse.
L'article de Commentary en revanche, après s'être penché sur les aspects juridiques de la torture - qui est bien évidemment illégale -, se pose la question de sa moralité :

The only question remaining is: should it be [illegal] ?

Just imagine, in this culture, having the temerity to say out loud: "I am in favor of torture." One might as well declare oneself in favor of child molestation (or tobacco). In point of fact, however, many people—probably most people—who claim to be opposed to torture are not against it in all cases or in every form. Many, indeed, are no doubt secretly relieved that it goes on regardless of what the laws and the regnant pieties may dictate.

[...] Let us posit a terrorist, credibly believed to have murdered thousands of people. Suppose this terrorist is aware that a radiological bomb will be detonated momentarily in the heart of a major metropolis, but is refusing to impart the details to interrogators. Now, suddenly, black and white becomes gray: perhaps there are worse evils than some forms of torture. That does not mean our average person "favors" torture, but he may well be amenable to keeping it on the table as an option, and henceforth not so disposed to declare confidently that he opposes it in any form under all circumstances.

[...] So it is with torture. Even as we sincerely aspire never to resort to it, we are required to acknowledge that there are some instances in which it might be employed; therefore, it is incumbent upon us to regulate how and under what circumstances that could permissibly be done, and to prosecute aggressively those who step outside the parameters we undertake to define.

Ouch ! Attachez vos ceintures. ¶ 22:26