Waterboarding Torture: Yes/No?The test for abuse is to ask the recipient, “How does that feel?”
"All the effort and money spent on preventing, eliminating, reducing, or controlling abuse is to no avail until we agree on its definition." —Kerry
Interrogators resort to abuse because they don't know how to get into communication with their detainee—they don't know how to create space for the truth to be told—the interrogator is in fact addicted the the Adversarial Communication Model, the way of relating/interacting taught throughout the nation's schools. Detainees have no choice but to mirror the Adversarial Communication Model of the interrogator.
Here's a definition to start with:
Begin DefinitionAbuse: 1) Any interaction, any communication (verbal, nonverbal, physical, or psychic), that detracts from the aliveness, well-being, or serenity of another. 2) A way of acting, to include silence, withholding the truth or parts of it, avoiding (not answering/misdirecting) a question, frowning, pouting, smirking, stink-eye, rolling-eyes, thwarting, insulting, putting down, invalidating, condescending, raised voice, frightening, upsetting, shocking, yelling, screaming, jabbing, pushing, shoving, jerking, grabbing, yanking, pulling another's arm in upset, spanking, slapping, bringing to one's senses with a loving firm slap, hitting, punching, or kicking.
Equally important: It is abusive to create space for the above. You have an effect on others; you communicate and produce results merely by standing silently in a crowded room.
End DefinitionComments/suggestions welcomed
