No responsible adult is ever fully innocent.

Post #8,423 by marlowe 9/11/01 5:39:52 PM Reply	No responsible adult is ever fully innocent. These people acquiesce to their governments. Why is there no bloody mass uprising of the people against Saddam Hussein? Because anyone who opposes him will die? This is only an acceptable reason to those who would rather let evil flourish than die fighting it. Granted, that's most people, but that doesn't make it right. And how did he get so strong in the first place? Surely there was a point in history where he could easily have been removed from power by the people. That hour has passed, but whose fault is that? I oppose nuking the country responsible for these attacks. I oppose this because innocent children would die. But I would shed few tears for their parents. Maybe they could have done something, maybe not. But they could have at least tried. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Post #8,498 by bluke 9/12/01 3:04:47 AM Reply	Easy for you to say you (and I) grew up in free countries. I have spoken to people who lived in the former Soviet Union, you can't imagine what it was like. The government was everywhere, anyone you talk to could be a government agent, phones were tapped, etc. In a climate like that it is very difficult for anyone to do anything.
Post #8,665 by marlowe 9/12/01 4:02:06 PM Reply	Maybe you're right. But what I have to wonder about is... how do these countries get that way in the first place? What is it about the people that they allow things to come to such a state? I've known Russian Jews, and I've seen the haunted look in their eyes. I haven't been where they've been. I've been down that road, but not as far. I've known repression and fear, but not to that degree. I know that when confronted with the more moderate forms, there are two ways you can go: resist or submit. Both may be futile. Both lead to pain. The question becomes: which type of pain can you more easily accept? I'll take getting beat up repeatedly over not being able to bear facing myself in the mirror. In fact, I've made that choice a few times. More recently in life, I've chosen getting fired over kissing ass or consenting to lies. I haven't yet put my life on the line in a cool, calculating fashion. Well, actually I have risked my life on several occasions, but not in that frame of mind. Actually, my life would have been at risk either way, but I chose the more immediate hazard. I grew up in one of the less free corners of a free country, amongst people of a certain ethnicity, of which those Palestinians on TV remind me vividly. This is one American who does not take freedom and safety for granted. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]

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