debates

kenneth.mackendrick at utoronto.ca kenneth.mackendrick at utoronto.ca
Thu Oct 12 18:34:32 PDT 2000


On Thu, 12 Oct 2000 20:01:43 GMT Carl Remick <carlremick at hotmail.com> wrote:


> Whether one uses the blunt realpolitik language of a Henry Kissinger or the
highfalutin idealistic lingo of a JFK makes precious little difference to the people you're actually bombing.

And yet the words "guilty" and "innocent" still have meaning...

On Thu, 12 Oct 2000 16:12:29 -0400 Max Sawicky <sawicky at epinet.org> wrote:


> But seriously, 'possible' but not necessarily easy or feasible. Has there
ever been any war not justified by a boatload of moralistic propaganda?

No war has ever been justified by a boatload of moralistic propaganda. That's the problem. I'm not sure it is possible to justify war, propaganda or not.

I'm reminded of The Apology. Socrates was given a choice, between an unexamined life or death. He chose death, because an unexamined life is already dead. It seems now that we are offered the same choice - between sleep and hemlock. I think this is what it means to accept power at its word.

endgame, ken



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