Comments on: Call in the Amnesty International SWAT team

Call in the Amnesty International SWAT team

Pericles — Tue, 20 May 2003 08:55:02 -0800

Heavy metal music and popular American children's songs are being used by US interrogators to break the will of their captives in Iraq. Uncooperative Iraqi prisoners are being exposed for prolonged periods to tracks by rock group Metallica and music from children's TV programmes Sesame Street and Barney in the hope of making them talk, reports the commies at the BBC today.

Barney the dinosaur would break me in a nanosecond. What would *you* play to break the spirit of your boss, childhood enemy, or - beautiful image- to wipe that smug smile of Barney's crimson visage and leave him whimpering in the arms of Baby Bop?

By: soundofsuburbia

soundofsuburbia — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:00:18 -0800

What would *you* play to break the spirit of your boss I know exactly what to play. The new Electric 6 album. Unfortunately, that would be a phyrric victory.

By: 11235813

11235813 — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:03:36 -0800

pick a clearchannel station any will do

By: Ty Webb

Ty Webb — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:04:59 -0800

Even worse, all the Metallica they're playing is post- "...And Justice For All."

By: magullo

magullo — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:06:21 -0800

What I'd would like to know is if they paid for the tracks they are using (specially the Metallica ones). On second thought, with the Pentagon involved, a necessary follow up question would be "and how much did you pay for them?"

By: sigma7

sigma7 — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:07:25 -0800

What would I play? Whitehouse. Torture Chamber to be precise. At concert-level volumes.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:10:59 -0800

If they really wanted to freak 'em out, they wouldn't play the weaker tracks from Metallica. Give them some crustcore. Assuck, AssChapel, or Anal Cunt would likely do quite well.

By: BentPenguin

BentPenguin — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:11:00 -0800

Rock N Troll!

By: herc

herc — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:12:21 -0800

Despite what the article may say, this technique has been around for some time. US troops blasted heavy metal music in Panama to drive Noriega out of his compound. Oh, and Marty McFly blasted heavy metal music in "Back To The Future" to force his father into courting Marty's would-be mother.

By: nylon

nylon — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:14:07 -0800

V/Vm

By: jonmc

jonmc — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:14:39 -0800

"There's A New Sound (The Sound Of Worms)" by Tony Burrello. On an endless loop. At peak volume. They will be begging for mercy within an hour.

By: spazzm

spazzm — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:17:22 -0800

When they do it, it's a breach of the Geneva convention. When we do it, it's vaguely entertaining. Any questions?

By: aacheson

aacheson — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:17:30 -0800

I read that a particularly effective way being used to interrogate the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay is to have the interrogation done by women. The sexist bastards don't have a chance. I find it very interesting that (gasp!) being forced to be subservient to a woman screws with these men so much. Very interesting, indeed. I'd love to get my hands on them. I'd scare the hell out of them. So, maybe play "the Donna's"-it talks about shacking up with guys and throwing them away afterwards and not caring about men. Hmmm.

By: sigma7

sigma7 — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:21:14 -0800

Alternately: Put the subjects in a slightly loopy frame of mind (hallucinogens and/or sleep deprivation would be fine) and play the Doll Cycle (Doll Doll Doll, Find Candace) by Venetian Snares. Scare them witless.

By: Armitage Shanks

Armitage Shanks — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:21:25 -0800

I'd love to get my hands on them. I'd scare the hell out of them. Would it bother you at all that you'd have no idea if any of them were innocent?

By: jamespake

jamespake — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:23:07 -0800

Without hesitation - I will always love you by Whitney Houston.

By: rocketman

rocketman — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:25:24 -0800

I'm confused. When did Disney buy the rights to Sesame Street?

By: BentPenguin

BentPenguin — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:27:10 -0800

BTW, are they paying royalties for the use of the music? With Hillary's drafting Iraq's copyright laws, I smell a double standard here.

By: soundofsuburbia

soundofsuburbia — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:28:12 -0800

V/Vm and Venetian Snares! In one thread! Wee! OK, I'll play along. Forget Electric Six, my new answer is Duran Duran Duran's »Drunk on Cock«. Although, I haven't heard it yet, but if my man Donna Summer says I should wait for it, so I shall.

By: 11235813

11235813 — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:30:52 -0800

jamespake --- you mean like ... this???

By: quonsar

quonsar — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:31:02 -0800

US troops blasted heavy metal music in Panama to drive Noriega out of his compound. right you are! and what did they play? Van Halen's "Panama". over and over and over and over and over...

By: gemshwil

gemshwil — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:31:47 -0800

Cotten Eyed Joe, by the Red Nex. evil evil song.

By: Bletch

Bletch — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:33:34 -0800

Loop David Hasselhoff's "Hooked On A Feeling" endlessly. PS, TORTURE IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE FORM OF INTERROGATION. APART FROM BEING COMPLETELY IMMORAL, IT CAUSES PROFOUND PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE FOR VICTIM AND INTERROGATOR ALIKE. THIS POST IS IN QUESTIONABLE TASTE, EVEN FOR A FAN OF BLACK HUMOUR LIKE ME.

By: GiantRobot

GiantRobot — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:34:04 -0800

Sleep, Jerusalem..one song, 65 minutes of sludge.

By: Cerebus

Cerebus — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:36:31 -0800

Wait a minute-- they need a public performance license! They're stealing his copyright! Somebody call Lars, quick!

By: monkeyman

monkeyman — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:37:09 -0800

The Dwarves or The Misfits should get them pretty tweaked. Nina Hagen or Wendy O. Williams might really drive them nuts. Hey spazz and Armitage lighten up already.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:37:22 -0800

such as sleep deprivation... which leave no long-lasting effects but do have the end result of breaking down the individual's will to resist questioning." No long lasting effects, not what I've read, one it makes you crankier from then on.

By: jamespake

jamespake — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:37:39 -0800

Yes, thanks, that was truly awful 11235813 (or can I call you Fibonacci). That song always makes me want to gnaw off my own ears.

By: monkeyman

monkeyman — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:39:28 -0800

you too, Bletch. Barney songs may be tortorous, buy it isn't torture. It' just really, really annoying.

By: teo

teo — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:42:32 -0800

Anything by Phillip Glass would probably make me talk.

By: briank

briank — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:43:35 -0800

As the parent of a child who turns two tomorrow, let me just say that if listening to the same Elmo CD day in and day out for weeks at a time can't break my will to live, nothing can.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:44:00 -0800

Did they add the video's to these tunes...?

By: aacheson

aacheson — Tue, 20 May 2003 09:47:27 -0800

Armitage, No, I would just enjoy turning the tables on them and make them subservient to woman for once in their lives.

By: Bletch

Bletch — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:00:39 -0800

Well, monkeyman, I think that depends on what's actually being done to prisoners here -- and none of us know that information. We don't know the duration or intensity of the sound exposure, or a number of other factors that make the distinction between your approved torture-lite ("really, really annoying") and actual torture (interrogation by causing physical discomfort). Would you approve of playing a 3 minute sound loop to someone at 90 dB for 24 hours? How about for 96 hours? How about if it was pink noise or a 12 kHz tone at 115 dB for that period with the prisoner blindfolded (the preferred KGB method)? What, if any, guidelines are being adhered to in order to make sure that the victims don't suffer

permanent hearing damage
psychological damage such as post-traumatic stress disorder
death or heart problems caused by lack of sleep?

Given the reported torture of Iraqi POWs by US troops already, and the lack of inspections of interrogations by international inspectors, what makes you so confident that these "harmless" repeated Barney songs aren't being played at 120 decibels until the prisoners bleed from the ears?

By: The Jesse Helms

The Jesse Helms — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:06:59 -0800

Anything by Wings.

By: The Michael The

The Michael The — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:07:19 -0800

How about something by Merzbow? If they insist on the metal, they ought to make it something at least pummeling, say, Meshuggah?

By: Armitage Shanks

Armitage Shanks — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:22:10 -0800

Hey spazz and Armitage lighten up already. Over 20 suicide attempts! Detainees under 16! No rights to due process! And now this! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! It's a laugh riot!

By: mookieproof

mookieproof — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:36:22 -0800

STEELY DAN

By: a3matrix

a3matrix — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:42:04 -0800

I suppose we could always fall back on Saddams ways of doing business and just start cutting tongues out, and chopping arms off, hang a few people, suspend some others by their own skin. The worst thing we are doing is denying them sleep? They are getting off easy. At the end of the day, I don't give a shit about them. My primary opposition to the war was that it would remove Saddam, and put an end to his regime. I rather liked how he ran his country. It was all good by me. Now what do we have? A pestilant shithole that undoubtedly will cost us more in money and in grief due to the long, long occupation we are going to have to undertake. GW made a big mistake in going into Iraq. I would have just sat back and let it ride, then it only cost Iraqi lives. Of course the Iraqis themselves could have tried to do something, oh, wait a minute, that would have required some effort on their part.

By: ednopantz

ednopantz — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:47:52 -0800

I heard once of a hazing incident where a pledge was locked in a closet and forced to listen to the song Mexican Radio (Wall of Voodoo) for 12 hours. I was once involved in an ahem, team building program that featured a My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult CD on continual repeat for four days. It definitely broke my will, and I wasn't even the target.

By: originalname37

originalname37 — Tue, 20 May 2003 10:57:34 -0800

No. Stop it. Stop it. Please I beg of you. It's a sin. It's a sin. It's a sin. It's a sin. It's a sin. It's a sin ... using Ludwig Van like that. He's done no harm to anyone. Beethoven just wrote music.

By: monkeyman

monkeyman — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:04:29 -0800

um, yeah. That all sounds real awful, but I thought we were talking about what playing Barney and Metallica, like that article and post said. You can always do your own FPP about audio torture techniques. Yes, Armitage it is funny. Not what you linked, but the original post was and it would be nice if you kept on topic. The subjects of the articles you linked to have been thoroughly discussed on Mefi and have nothing at all to do with the post. E-mail me if you want to keep bickering. I enjoy it. This post is over now anyway, because I figured which performer will really drive them over the edge. Are you ready? L'il Kim. Nasty and obnoxious.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:10:07 -0800

Dan Hill. Because sometimes when we touch, the honesty's too much.

By: asok

asok — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:10:31 -0800

The Star Spangled Banner. 'Brave' indeed. Torture is funny now, I get it.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:19:49 -0800

i think it was michael moore who pulled a tv stunt where he tracked down the CEO of Muzak and arrived in front of his domicile at 6am on a sunday morning with enough audio to kill a tank. THAT was funny. I wonder what type and duration of noise it would take to dislodge the current administration from the white house?

By: SweetJesus

SweetJesus — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:28:44 -0800

Any track ever made by Shonen Knife...

By: dash_slot-

dash_slot- — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:36:59 -0800

Jeez H Christ. That is shocking. There have been 11 suicide attempts in Guantanamo since the beginning of the year (11 in 68 days - from Jan 1st to the date the article was posted, 09 March - )! APR = (11/68x365) 59 attempts per annum in a population of 650, 59/650 makes it) 9%! The US has est. 734,000 attempts p.a., in a population of, what, 280,000,000? (734,0000/280,000,000 makes it 0.0026 % p.a.) Fucking hell, what is going on here? A statistical blip? For crying out loud, what will be the verdict of a well balanced observer from 2103 on that experience? I was gonna just gonna propose the B-side of Souixsie & The banshees 'Hong Kong Garden', a renowned pub-clearer back in the days of limited opening hours for pubs here in blighty: 'Voices in the Air', but it just aint funny now.

By: Cyrano

Cyrano — Tue, 20 May 2003 11:51:10 -0800

Even worse, all the Metallica they're playing is post- "...And Justice For All." *standing ovation*

By: SweetJesus

SweetJesus — Tue, 20 May 2003 12:06:50 -0800

I take back the Shonen Knife comment. I re-read the article and found out they're using that song "Bodies" by Drowning Pool. I couldn't take 30 minutes of that song. If hell has a sound track, Drowning Pool is the house band.

By: Devils Slide

Devils Slide — Tue, 20 May 2003 12:39:53 -0800

They could play Let The Eagle Soar on a continuous loop, but no interrogator is that heartless.

By: reidfleming

reidfleming — Tue, 20 May 2003 12:57:52 -0800

Metal Machine Music by Lou Reed. Anyone that bought that back in the 70's thinking they were getting a real Lou Reed album knows exactly what I'm talking about.

By: RJ Reynolds

RJ Reynolds — Tue, 20 May 2003 13:24:22 -0800

Lars Ullrich of Metallica on the war in Iraq: "We've always just tried to...... And this is not, like, pussying out or not taking a stand...... I've just always had this weird thing about, like...... Just because you are a musician, and just because people listen to what you are saying, that doesn't mean that you should mouth off on every single subject that anybody asks you. [...] I guess I have trouble with myself using Metallica as some kind of soapbox to stand up and talk about what I feel –– it's always been awkward for me, so I'd rather not go there." -- source

By: Perigee

Perigee — Tue, 20 May 2003 13:50:52 -0800

I dunno - I may have the winner here - 24 hours straight of Elton John's "Crocodile Rock." "Laaaa; Lalalala la. Lalalala la. Lalalala la..." Repeat... 3 times each song, 576 plays in a day.

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Tue, 20 May 2003 14:21:49 -0800

How about the Shaggs?

By: ifenn

ifenn — Tue, 20 May 2003 14:28:57 -0800

"The commies at the BBC"? The BBC isn't perfect but that off-hand remark is plain wrong. At least the BBC gets close to the story unlike most USA media.

By: psmealey

psmealey — Tue, 20 May 2003 14:30:54 -0800

At least Lars (finally) was smart enough to realize that getting his own uninformed opinion out in the public domain was not a good play. Contrast that with his shameless and off-target proselytizing for the RIAA in the fight vs. Napster. /end lars rant Actually as far as getting me to talk... All it would take is about five minutes of listening to all that god awful warbling that those neo-R&B singers on American Idol are doing.

By: jmevius

jmevius — Tue, 20 May 2003 14:49:38 -0800

What about Paul McCartney's Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime? Anyone who walked around a mall this past Christmas season knows my pain.

By: Keyser Soze

Keyser Soze — Tue, 20 May 2003 14:51:15 -0800

neighbors, no one loves you like he loves you, and no one cares like he cares. neighbors, let us join today in the holy love of god and money, because neighbors, no one loves you like he loves you. and what better way to show your love than to dig deep into your pockets. dig real deep, until it hurts. alleviate your guilt, free yourself once again, because he gave to you, brothers and sisters. please give a 10, 25, or 50 dollar tax-deductible donation, and i assure you your modest pledge will be used to censor tv and radio, ban questionable books, and contribute to many other godly services. no longer will young christian americans hedonistically indulge in masochistic submission to rhythmic music, for with your monetary support, there is no end to what we can achieve in this country. the voice of god is government. the voice of god is government. the voice of god is government. in god we trust, sinners repent! can't you see what we believe in, all our thoughts, all our reasons, pursuit of life and liberty and happiness we cannot see? speak of truth with a mighty voice, but politics are your real choice. hire men to change the law, protect and serve with one small flaw. voice of god is government. the voice of god is government. voice of god is government. in god we trust, sinners repent! if we shun god and jesus christ, religious love is sacrifice. love for god is shown in cash, the love they send is mailbox trash. with every pamphlet we receive, more money asked for godly needs. build a million dollar church, with money spent on god's research. voice of god is government. the voice of god is government. voice of god is government. in god we trust, sinners repent! on late night tv, god can heal, a certain force you cannot feel. love for money in god's name, religion's now a tv game! build a million dollar church, with money spent on god's research. build a million dollar church, with money spent on god's research. voice of god is government. the voice of god is government. voice of god is government. in god we trust, sinners repent! yeah! voice of god is government. the voice of god is government. voice of god is government. in god we trust, sinners repent!

By: dg

dg — Tue, 20 May 2003 15:10:54 -0800

Wind Beneath My Wings *vomits on keyboard* See what I mean?

By: clavdivs

clavdivs — Tue, 20 May 2003 15:11:00 -0800

pipe these guys in for a few weeks

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Tue, 20 May 2003 15:27:00 -0800

Torture is funny.

By: Armitage Shanks

Armitage Shanks — Tue, 20 May 2003 15:36:43 -0800

By: tljenson

tljenson — Tue, 20 May 2003 16:02:14 -0800

"The commies at the BBC"? What a joke the media here resembles the state run propaganda of the former Soviet Union more then the BBC does. What are you smoking boy? Frustrated by the failure of US-based broadcast networks to provide a realistic account of the political machinations that led to the Iraq war, millions of Americans tuned in British news reports - which were picked up on public broadcasting and community radio, the internet and television stations. [snip] The general director of the BBC bemoaned the "gung ho" coverage of the US networks while a veteran British Cabinet minister dismissed US news coverage of the war as "old-fashioned propaganda." "What the US networks give you is just a rehash of Bush Administration announcements, and worse. There's no news in it," says Tony Benn, one of the best-known political figures in Britain and a frequent commentator on international news programs. "Does anyone take them seriously?"

By: dash_slot-

dash_slot- — Tue, 20 May 2003 16:16:37 -0800

Mind you, many would describe Tony Benn as a fucking commie. Love'imbless'imsqueeze'im.

By: Joeforking

Joeforking — Tue, 20 May 2003 16:49:59 -0800

Anything by Abba. BTW Someone wants to lighten up for a sec, you know who you are, asshole.

By: sheauga

sheauga — Tue, 20 May 2003 18:07:33 -0800

I once went on a three-day trip with 7 people who played a single cassette tape over and over for 8 and more hours every day. When I gave the CD version to a physicist boarding a transatlantic flight, he reported that he played it non-stop for almost the entire duration of his flight. One Amazon reviewer claims to have listened to this CD easily thousands of times; ... another claims to have played this music throughout several 10 hr roadtrips ..." Personally, my inclination would be trying some stuff with these guys to turn their heads around in a positive way. First idea that occurs would be the rave technique: really hot live samba / capoeira bands snaking about through the complex for three days, full of happy, raucous young Brazillians shaking their stuff, punctuated by hashish-enhanced all night slideshows of the wrathful deities and the appropriate Tibetan chanting on endless loop, with a few blasts on the human bone horns as needed to wake those deaf to enlightenment. A few days to sleep it off, and start over again ... Seems to me it wouldn't take much more than a few weeks for even the most hardened of indivduals to reconsider whether life doesn't look like a lot more fun ... It also sounds like this would be a rather unique test group for inner healing music or the Buddhist peace chant from Hiroshima. (The sound is quite compelling, but all I find are photos.) Giving equal time to the afflicted, here's a link for anyone attempting to recover fron hypnotic sound techniques or trance states intentionally induced by a cult, etc.

By: black8

black8 — Tue, 20 May 2003 18:34:09 -0800

Diamanda Galas followed with a Controlled Bleeding chaser.

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Tue, 20 May 2003 19:07:33 -0800

The anarchists during the Spanish Civil War used to torture fascist prisoners by putting them in cells with surrealist art and forcing them to watch Un Chien Andalou.

By: cryosis

cryosis — Tue, 20 May 2003 21:19:37 -0800

Rip Taylor reading Maxim articles would do me in. I don't think my mind would be able to wrap quite that far around.

By: Soliloquy

Soliloquy — Tue, 20 May 2003 21:28:41 -0800

I'm sure plenty of people scoff at the idea that prolonged exposure to children's music can constitute torture, but at one point in my life I was stuck in a hospital room with a malfunctioning piece of equipment that played a cheerful six-note tune to signal that something was wrong. Over and over. And over. For weeks. By the end of the first week, I was a basket case.

By: Dagobert

Dagobert — Tue, 20 May 2003 23:14:31 -0800

"I say I was treated well," said the general, "but I should mention the headset I was required to wear, through which blasted heavy metal music. I'm hearing impaired now, partially because of that." US General Dozier, commenting on his being held hostage by Italian Red Brigade in Verona Italy in 1981. The scuttlebut was that the music he was forced to listen to was Wendy O. Williams. Points to monkeyman for having the right mindset! PS I will warrant no anti-Rip Taylor comments, regardless how funny and true they might be!

By: letitrain

letitrain — Wed, 21 May 2003 02:11:15 -0800

Joeforking: calling someone an asshole is great, but to do it while telling them to lighten up? Uhh...

By: Pericles

Pericles — Wed, 21 May 2003 03:00:30 -0800

.. and there was me thinking my first FPP would be a little light relief.

By: monkey closet

monkey closet — Wed, 21 May 2003 04:23:11 -0800

This should do it... One of my favourites, in fact, but not something to be listened to repeatedly...

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 21 May 2003 05:42:45 -0800

"The worst thing we are doing is denying them sleep? They are getting off easy.
At the end of the day, I don't give a shit about them. My primary opposition to the war was that it would remove Saddam, and put an end to his regime. I rather liked how he ran his country. It was all good by me. Now what do we have? A pestilant shithole that undoubtedly will cost us more in money and in grief due to the long, long occupation we are going to have to undertake. GW made a big mistake in going into Iraq. I would have just sat back and let it ride, then it only cost Iraqi lives. Of course the Iraqis themselves could have tried to do something, oh, wait a minute, that would have required some effort on their part." - -a3matrix Ugliest. comment. Ever. Thought experiment: it is 2017, and we have developed the technology to patch directly into the brain stem and make people feel pain without touching their bodies. Mind searing pain, but it leaves no trace (no physical trace, that is). The World Court comdemns the practice but the US, China, Russia and Israel use it anyway while simply denying their use of the reprehensible torture technique. Then, DARPA discovers how to pipe canned experiences into the brain stem to reprogram people by blitzing them with months of canned "experience" while their bodies are kept on a nutrient drip feed (a la The Matrix). Lo! We can remake Iraqis (or whomever) to be just like Americans! Americans, Borg like, assimilate the World. Bwahhahahahaha! bwahahahahaha....

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 21 May 2003 05:49:21 -0800

But back to the thread theme: how about Mr. Rogers singing "It's a beautifull day in the neighborhood" (at high volume) as a torture device? Demonic. Show no mercy, right? Better than "Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out", right? Can't make an omlet without breaking a few eggs, right?.... Lots of good suggestions here. Psyops is all ears.

By: Snyder

Snyder — Wed, 21 May 2003 06:02:00 -0800

Doesn't a thought experiment require thought? Anyway, I second "Cotton Eyed Joe," as that song has given me no end of pain. Maybe Wesley Willis? He's fun and all, but I imagine that 2 hours of "Suck a Cheetah's Dick" would drive the most mild-mannered person to hysterics.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 21 May 2003 06:23:23 -0800

Snyder - I forgot to insert the (obvious?) "consider the implications...."

By: adampsyche

adampsyche — Wed, 21 May 2003 06:28:19 -0800

They should try Bob the Builder. An hour of that theme song would have any hardened criminal singing like a canary.

By: Snyder

Snyder — Wed, 21 May 2003 07:29:24 -0800

The implications? Well, either people will believe the U.S. or not, regardless of available evidence, and probably act the same way even if the U.S. (and other countries) weren't doing it. Some people upset, some not. Same as now, anyway. WRT magic matrix reprogramming machine, well, is everyone happy now? Maybe you shouldn't turn them into "Americans" (a more homogenous race you've never found, right,) but into some other kind of mindset more adaptable to your point of view. Hey, science finally found a way of (somehow) improving human behavior! How about this for a thought experiment? It's not much, but something for short notice? Is it ethical (assuming its possible) to "rewrite" someone in the way you describe? How about this? Say there is a drug that increases one's empathy, one's compassion for human beings? Would it work as advertised, or would we humans become overloaded with a kind of compassion fatigue, where we become unable to act? Perhaps our brains compensate by separating us from our own pain, so while we feel for others as we would feel for ourselves, we don't feel very much at all in either case. Is it ethical to use? Is it ethical for me to get so wildly off topic? The point is, you presented a scenario, not thought experiment.