Democratic Underground - Pattern recognition: Which of these do not belong?

Back in grade school we would occasionally be tested for pattern recognition. First, we would be shown three pictures:

We were then asked: Which one of these do not belong?

I loved these kind of tests because they were easy and they made me feel smart. I remember asking myself: "What kind of person would not pick the mouse?"

The pattern-recognition test can apply to how we view ourselves as a nation, and what we believe our country should represent. For example, which of these three images should not belong when you think of "The United States of America.":

Now I'll bet you chose torture as the item that does not belong, right? Well, I'm proud to say that the US Senate agrees with you!

The Republican-majority Senate followed the lead of maverick Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., voting 90-9 to add the anti-torture language to the legislation.

Their measure would ban the use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading" treatment of any prisoner in the hands of the United States. It's a response to the revelations of torture by U.S. personnel of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, which roused worldwide disgust.

What has the White House done in response? Well, this morning the Bush Administration decided that they believe that torture does belong with American values and apple pie:

The Bush administration pledged yesterday to veto legislation banning the torture of prisoners by US troops after an overwhelming and almost unprecedented revolt by loyalist congressmen.

George W. Bush, a man who claims to be a born-again Christian, has decided that his first-ever veto is going to be used to support our governments use of this:

as a viable way to get information.

If our President is so morally and intellectually bereft that he can't pass a simple pattern-recognition test, he has no business being our head of state.

By the way, here's another pattern-recognition test for you: Below are the nine US Senators who voted against the McCain/Graham amendment. What do all of these pro-torture & humiliation legislators have in common?

Allard (Republican-CO)
Bond (Republican-MO)
Coburn (Republican-OK)
Cochran (Republican-MS)
Cornyn (Republican-TX)
Inhofe (Republican-OK)
Roberts (Republican-KS)
Sessions (Republican-AL)
Stevens (Republican-AK)

I'll give you a hint: Hopefully, none of them are going to get re-elected.

www.brainshrub.com/pattern-recognition

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