Social Scientists have No Ethics says the Lying Bush Administration

You know we have hit a new low when this mistaken-administration is telling us that all social and behavioral scientists lack ethics. Isn't that like listening to a debate on morality from Hitler? (Yea, I got an inappropriate and extreme Hitler reference into the blog... Does this mean that I will have to apologize in a few days? Because other bloggers who make Nazi references will come down hard on me? -- Oh, sorry a bit of confusion and discretion there... Make that right-wing bloggers... But ok, sorry about the wee bit of fun there.)

According to Neil A. Lewis (Interrogators Cite Doctors' Aid at Guantanamo Prison Camp) in The New York Times: "Bryan Whitman, a senior Pentagon spokesman, declined to address the specifics in the [torture] accounts. But he suggested that the doctors advising interrogators were not covered by ethics strictures because they were not treating patients but rather were acting as behavioral scientists."

Because of the controversy over claims about prisoner treatment at Guantanamo (not to mention Iraq, Afghanistan, and more), perhaps social scientists and their professional associations' knowledge, expertise, and research could be used to protect this country. Once these scholars, activists, and associations agreed to assist they could help in the creation, testing, and administration of quality social science reseach designed to create appropriate policies and procedures that collect intelligence in a successful humane fashion. Haven't these people ever heard that sometimes you catch more flies with honey?

Of course, we know the reason why such help has not been solicited... Because true scientists let the evidence lead to conclusions. And in this mistaken-administration where you "FIX" the facts to the conclusions that you want, true objectivity is not an asset!

What is this situation? The hit 'em until they crack brigade? Sheesh. Competent criminal justice, political science, criminology, and sociology professionals have shown for years how that approach simply DOES NOT WORK. It especially does not work against folks who have been trained to hate modernity and America. By acting this way -- engaging in torture -- you are simply confirming the worse rumors, myths, and hostility toward the United States. Way to go idiots, you made the problem worse.

One has to wonder why no criminologists and criminal justice experts have been used by this administration in creating Prison, interrogation centers, and more if we really wanted to make this country safer. Such activities and assistance are consistent with professions which involve significant public service to the community. Besides, having experts involved would mean actually trying to do some good rather than just beating the shit out of someone because it makes you feel better.

Hmmmmmm... maybe that's why the mistaken-administration is casting dispersions at behavioral and social scientists. They think the world works like Cops and CSI.