I read in the paper a couple of days ago that seventy-five captured terrorists at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba were on a hunger strike to promote one of their half-assed political/religious agendas. Their theory being, that somehow we will be perceived, by the world, as being responsible for their deaths - if they don't eat.
My first thought was, "If we're going to be blamed anyway, wouldn't it be faster to just poison them?"
Actually, I've never understood the theory of a hunger strike. It always struck me as the same thing as a little kid holding his breath until he got his way. Most parents see this as an ineffective threat. Now, I realize a dedicated hunger striker could actually die, but isn't that their choice? If we provide them with the food and they refuse to eat it, how can we be blamed?
Shouldn't the conversation go something like this:
"YOU! American pig. I have demands! I refuse to eat this nutritious food that has been prepared according to my religious and dietary needs until you bow to my will!"
"O.K."
"Good! Because... O.K.? What do you mean - O.K.?"
"What I mean is, "Don't eat if you don't want to." Are we done here? I feel like a donut and some coffee. Can I get you anything? Oh wait. You said you're NOT eating."
"Stop!"
"What now?"
"Do you not want to hear my demands?"
"No. I'm good."
"But you have to listen!"
"You know, I was thinking. There are a couple of fat terrorists in the next cell block that would probably want those goat thingies. You done with these?"
"But... I have demands! I am willing to die for them!"
"Look Mohammed... Dude... whatever. Out in the real world you were willing to blow yourself up and take as many people with you as possible for whatever it is that you guys are pissed off about. Now your ass is in prison and you're still making demands and threatening to kill yourself. Starvation seems a little slow, if you ask me. But honestly? Nobody cares."
"But why do you not care if I die for my cause?"
"Because, in here, there's less collateral damage."
1 comment:
What I can't figure is why they became prisoners in the first place. One bullet would have been a lot cheaper than keeping them prisoner and what benefit do they serve this country by still being alive? Now they end up drawing publicity, the other way all they would end up drawing is maggots.
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