Subject:
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Re: Voluntary, private discrimination (Was: Disparicies in Sentencing)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 14 Sep 1999 18:10:22 GMT
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Reply-To:
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jsproat@io.com%Spamcake%
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Viewed:
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2084 times
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"Moz (Chris Moseley)" wrote:
> One issue right now is: if I go to East Timor in an attempt to promote peace,
> and refuse to bear arms or defend myself, is the Indonesian Army justified
> in having me killed? My whole purpose in being there is to act as an enemy of
> the state (the Indonesian one) by bearing witness to their activities. I
> am helpless, but only insofar as I choose to be. Kill me or not?
They would justify it to themselves. From their point of view, you're part
of the problem. Of course, you're perfectly justified -- from your end --
in defending yourself in any way you can.
> Flip side: how can an army work if its members all have the right to withdraw
> at any time if they decide that an order is immoral? A lot of military stuff
> only works (as far as I can tell) by reflex obedience to orders, and that is
> not compatible with holding soldiers responsible in detail for obeying orders.
You do have the right to withdraw at any time if you decide that an order is
immoral. It usually ends up in a dishonorable discharge, but it's your
right. In a time of war, I have no moral argument against defending myself
and what I believe in. This could be shooting strangers on sight, if
necessary. Or, it could mean being arrested, humiliated, abused, tried,
convicted, and thrown out of the service and behind bars if it means I can
get out of massacring a hamlet.
But then, I'm probably too stubborn for military service. :-P
Cheers,
- jsproat
--
Jeremy H. Sproat <jsproat@io.com> ~~~ http://www.io.com/~jsproat/
He stands...like some sort of...PAGAN GOD or DEPOSED TYRANT. Staring out
over the city he's sworn to...to stare out over... And it's evident...just
by looking at him...that he's got some PRETTY HEAVY THINGS ON HIS MIND.
- Ben Edlund, 1996
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