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1

Maybe they could just stop hiring dolts and not have to worry about 24 corrupting their millitary.

Posted by seattle98104 | February 13, 2007 11:41 AM
2

As a friend of a friend had a bit part in last night's episode, I broke down and watched the whole sick two hours (he was in the final act of hour two). "Viewer discretion is advised" indeed. How are the torture scenes anything but soft-core snuff film?

It's a cop-out for pundits to BLAME "24" for encouraging American soldiers to torture detainees, as there is plenty of evidence to indicate the guidelines came from very high up, who have yet to take responsiblity.

If television and film offer torture as entertainment (and, more dangerously, as an effective tool against terrorism, which experts dispute), it's a symptom, not a cause, of the problem.

Posted by andy niable | February 13, 2007 11:52 AM
3

Too bad that torture doesn't actually work, as anyone who's actually succeeded at counter-terrorism ops could tell you. But live in your fantasy Red world if you must ...

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 13, 2007 11:58 AM
4

According to Sullivan, there have been 67 torture scenes on "24", and every single one of them has been "effective, productive, and justified". That's fascism, friends, full on.

Posted by Fnarf | February 13, 2007 12:09 PM
5

@4: Is that counting scenes of terrorists using torture? Because those would never be justified, and those on Jack wouldn't be any of the three.

I think there definitely should be a plotline where someone is tortured and gives up false info, though . . . although I feel as though that might've happened at least once in past seasons.

I'm looking forward to the 24 movie and finally seeing some of those "dammit!"s replaced with F-bombs.

Posted by Levislade | February 13, 2007 12:35 PM
6

It may be simplistic to blame "24", as you say, but it's undeniable that the show is helping create eager recruits who are acclimated to a torture environment -- too acclimated, as the military does not condone or practice torture; it's Rummy's military intelligence units that do that. What the good general is trying to do is keep that poison out of general circulation. Unfortunately the administration is trying their best to spread it. It's sickening that a TV show is helping them do that awful work.

Posted by Fnarf | February 13, 2007 12:38 PM
7

And some neocon commentator (Laura Ingraham) said that 24 is a national referendum showing Americans approve of torture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrsQPK-GrDw

Posted by him | February 13, 2007 3:12 PM
8

24 is a plague on this nation. It is an entertaining, watchable plague - and that's precisely what makes it so awful. I'd like to pretend it's just entertainment and won't hurt anything, but the sad truth is that the rest of America sees this and thinks that FBI agents really do grapple with situations like this. And it's this that will encourage the advancement of full-on fascism in this nation.

I'm not advocating its censorship, of course, but I'm not going to watch anymore, either. The producers of this show are irresponsible fuckwits, and it's time people started saying so.

Posted by tsm | February 13, 2007 3:21 PM
9

24 is the funniest wacky office comedy on TV since Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I can't imagine any current show being more fun to watch with a crowd and drink to.

Posted by Peter | February 13, 2007 3:49 PM
10

I remember reading a book where a spy catches two of the good guys and tortures them for info. As the spy did not believe the truth, one good guy spins a tale of being covert agents for a foreign power, big bombs, big cash, survelliance, et cetera. The bad guys buy it.

I assumed this proved the bad guys were STUPID. Why believe a convolted international espionage tale when you could check the facts and determine they were who they said they were?

BTW, the good guys - good GALS, I should say - were Jill Munroe and Kelly Garrett. The book was a 1970s Charlie's Angels tie-in. Amazing, ain't it? Charlie's Angels showing that torture isn't quite all that 24 has it built up to be?

Posted by JenK | February 13, 2007 4:53 PM
11

Screw Bauer. Take a drink every time Savage writes the word "cock".

Posted by MyDogBen | February 13, 2007 6:32 PM
12

ugh, but no matter what I still want Jack Bauer to rape me. Then torture me.

Posted by catnextdoor | February 13, 2007 11:09 PM

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