[Stradlater]

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3878433

It will be interesting to see if this airs in the US.

[Beewee]

"...and criticized for humanizing the terrorists."


Are they serious? Of course it is impossible to think of someone who would kill another human being as "human".
If someone who would crash two planes into a building isn't human, what about someone would order 2 atomic bombs dropped on civilians?
And the person who carried out such an order?

How about the people who trained Osma Bin Laden and his non-human associates to kill, who supplied him with weapons that are now being used against American troops?

That is the most hypocritical statement I have heard.

[angaq0k]

Originally posted by Beewee:
"...and criticized for humanizing the terrorists."


Are they serious? Of course it is impossible to think of someone who would kill another human being as "human".

That is the most hypocritical statement I have heard.

You need to refine your thinking here.

Here are a few examples that show your affirmation as paradoxical.

woman killing her abusive husband
policeman killing a murderer
soldier killing an enemy
doctor killing a dying patient asking to be relieved from his pain
cuting the water supply
killing 10 000 Iraqis for a myth
killing Hitler
death penalty
anthropophagia post-mortem (see the movie "Survive")

etc.

These all fall under "someone who would kill another human being as "human".

Then there is the whole set of ideas surrounding "revenge", i.e. a father killing the murderer of his wife and children.

It does not take long to connect the dots with people killing because they are looking for justice.

Of course, there are also psychopaths, but they are humans, considering that it is a typical "human disease" attaining the higher functions of the intellect (you cannot diagnose a whale for psychosis).

Then there is also the case of children used as soldiers to kill adults fron the opposition.

It would be dangerous to deny the humanity of terrorists, for the simple reason that it is exactly that humanity with all the good and the bad that makes them terrorists, as well as you, me, your neighbours and the members and non-members of this political forum.

[Beewee]

Originally posted by angaq0k:
You need to refine your thinking here.

It would be dangerous to deny the humanity of terrorists, for the simple reason that it is exactly that humanity with all the good and the bad that makes them terrorists, as well as you, me, your neighbours and the members and non-members of this political forum.

Yes, society, however, views terrorists as soulless monsters that just kill for "irrational reasons". Over religion is the biggest one.
No one thinks that they may be killing to defend themselves from a country that they perceive as threatening their values and ways of life.

We call them barbaric, and inhuman, as well as the "enemy" or "terrorists" to futher take away their humanity. To make it easy to kill them it's the standard stuff that all wars are made of.

[Myrkridia]

Originally posted by angaq0k:
You need to refine your thinking here.

Here are a few examples that show your affirmation as paradoxical.

woman killing her abusive husband
policeman killing a murderer
soldier killing an enemy
doctor killing a dying patient asking to be relieved from his pain
cuting the water supply
killing 10 000 Iraqis for a myth
killing Hitler
death penalty
anthropophagia post-mortem (see the movie "Survive")

etc.

I personally see no paradox, especially in the italicized ones.
There is no justice, in killing another. There is no honor, there is no right and no wrong. If I were in the position where I ended up killing another person, even if they intended to do harm to me, and had murdered 15 or so before coming to me. I would tell the police officer questioning me straight up, I didn't do it because it needed to be done, I didn't do it for the families of the victims, I did it because the situation arose and I chose the selfish way out. Me.


Because all humans have the potential to do good, regardless if they choose to or not, to me, That makes their life worth something.

[angaq0k]

The paradox is in this sentence:

it is impossible to think of someone who would kill another human being as "human".

It is a large generalization, and there are examples that show this affirmation as inappropriate. That is all I meant.