So why don't you try it?

I called my senators today to thank them for opposing Alberto Gonzales' nomination as the next Attorney General. It was moveon.org's idea to call them and it was a good one.

I have been horrified by this guy ever since I heard his extremely narrow definition of torture. He said that for something to be torture it would have to include "injury such as death, organ failure, or serious impairment of body functions - in order to constitute torture."

According to my understanding of his original memo:

Slamming someone's hand in the car door and leaving it there for four hours - not torture.

Chinese water torture - not torture.

Raping your mother or sister or daughter in front of your eyes - not torture.

Raping you - not torture.

At the very least this guy needs to read some of the things that can bring on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But what he really needs is to make an informed decision. If he thinks that bamboo shoots under the fingernails aren't torture then let him try them for a little while and see if he changes mind.

Of course he later did say maybe his definition was too narrow and changed the definition but please, this man should not be in charge of a hamster cage much less making policy for people who have a great deal of power.

I salute Senator Barbara Mikulski and Senator Paul Sarbanes for making a stand against him. They were brave and they were steadfast and they make me feel a little better about things in general.