Conspiracy theories are damaging to our society.

My opponent attempts to refute my claim that civilized governments engage in torture by pointing to this example and claiming it as a conspiracy theory. As he has used George Bush's administration as an example I will focus on this issue as it provides me the opportunity to prove a point. However I would like to make it clear that I am not confining my argument to the US. It is ludicrous to suggest that this torture of prisoners is conspiracy. If my opponent is unaware of the evidence he has gone someway to proving my point. * The Bush Administration decided the Geneva Conventions would not apply to detainees held in Guant"namo Bay (a decision later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court) Article III of the Geneva Convention * The Justice Department"s Office of Legal Counsel produced a series of "torture memos," which mutilated the law so as to restrict the definition of CID and to make certain torture practices seem legal under U.S. law; * U.S. interrogations of suspects in the "war on terror" have included such cruel and inhuman techniques as prolonged isolation and sleep deprivation, intimidation by the use of a dog, sexual and other humiliation, stripping, hooding, the use of loud music, white noise, and exposure to extreme temperatures; * The CIA used waterboarding " illegal as torture under international and U.S. law " to interrogate three "high-value" detainees; * The U.S. began to send detainees for interrogation to countries known to use torture; * President Bush admitted that several high-level officials in his Administration met secretly to authorize specific interrogation methods otherwise prohibited. Numerous instances of torture and CID by U.S. personnel " confirmed by U.S. officials who took part in or witnessed these events " have been fed by a climate of impunity and the failure of either the executive branch or Congress to conduct a comprehensive, impartial, and independent investigation into detention policies and practices. http://www.amnestyusa.org... http://www.theguardian.com... https://en.wikipedia.org... This is no conspiracy! these things are happening there is enough evil in the open in this world, we should be dealing with these issues but instead we spend our time complaining and accusing but so few do anything about it. My opponent also stated "conspiracy theories "with no grounds" are not necessarily bad and can turn out to be true" Let me be clear I am not suggesting that the investigation of these matters. Claims made by whistleblowers or victims of these atrocities should be delved in to; however in the someway as an FBI agent investigating a drug cartel would be ill advised to post his progress online until there is evidence there is little use in shouting conspiracy, apart from anything else if the claims are true posting vague conjecture and accusations online gives the opportunity to cover up. I would also point out that when it comes to the bigger conspiracy theories we are giving gravitas to the idea that there are governments and organizations with the power to control the world this belief is one of the things that drives the apathy we see when it comes to politics in my generation, we the people are what gives these organizations their power. we must never forget we can also take it away. By telling each other that there are forces in the world capable of such devious acts as faking moon landings, staging events like 911 or JFKs assassination we give them the illusion of power when in truth if you look we see ineptitude. there really are evils in this world, but evil is mundane and by assuming agency where only greed and incompetence prevail we ignore the flaws in our human form. Conspiracy theories are nihilistic and provide no hope.