Wednesday, September 2, 2009
a mean streak
interesting all the meanness in the US media about the release of a terminally ill prisoner. The man is now in a hospital bed. The crime? He is teh Lockerbie bomber - alleged - and was convicted and sentenced to life in prision. Well, many families of those who perished in that flight feel the man should have remained in prison to die. The man is dying -does it really matter where? Also, a US destroyer shot a plane with Iranian civilians, killing 290, yet there was no clamor. Thoughts??
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Is it meanness or jingoism? Meanness would imply a similar feeling about any prisoner anywhere. And if an American terrorist were to put a bomb on a Libyan plane, how well would the Libyans treat him? I tend to think that terrorism is an offense to everyone's humanity, and I can't really shed a tear over whatever wrath society's laws reign on him.
ReplyDeleteGood points, but I think the question is one of compassion. I don't think anyone "likes" terrorists.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, compassion may be the equivalent of restraint, meaning isolating terrorists and preventing them from action, and not allowing their cohorts and sympathizers to be encouraged to continue their actions due to an inappropriate humanity. A more sincere and full bodied compassion can only be extended to those who are already on the path to enlightenment.
ReplyDeleteexactly - agreed!!
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