Calling a Spade a Spade: Use of the Word "Torture"
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"Harsh interrogations," "abusive techniques," "so-called torture" - which is it and why does it matter who says it? Salon's Glenn Greenwald criticized NPR in his blog post this week for not using the word "torture" to characterize the treatment of detainees in U.S. Custody. NPR says journalists are in a no-win situation when it comes to the T-word. Is it thoughtful or gutless? We hear reasoning from NPR's ombudsman as well as some analysis from linguist Geoffrey Nunberg on the gravity of words. When DO they matter?
Guests:
Alicia Shepard, NPR's Ombudsman
Geoffrey Nunberg, professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley, author most recently of The Years of Talking Dangerously
- Patt Morrison for Jun 26, 2009
- Tribute to the King of Pop
- Calling a Spade a Spade: Use of the Word "Torture"
- Update on Iran
- NY vs. CA Smackdown: Which State Legislature is More Dysfunctional?
Also on this episode
Events
Comedy Congress Live
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
7:30 p.m.
- 9 p.m.
The comedic material emanating from Washington D.C., and state capitols across the country, is enough to make any sitcom writer jealous, even if most of that comedy is unintentional. Our motto on Comedy Congress is that just when politics makes you want to cry, it’s usually best to laugh.
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