posted
"And, of course, being merciful couldn't possibly be a virtue..."
In a word, "no." You don't show mercy to a rabid dog. You kill it. When an animal has gone beyind redemption, you put it down. Osama Bin Laden is just such an animal. Over the years, he has killed thousands of innocents. If anyone is being merciful here, its the USA and her allies. Who else would bomb (in part) to open up an air corridor to bring in food and medical supplies? Not some Hitlerian state, nor a communist state, nor, dare I say, a fundamentalist Islamic state. Nope, just the oft-maligned USA and her allies.
Enough doubting our actions. Enough questioning whether we are acting morally and justly. War has little room for those facets, but if its possible to fight a war for moral and just reasons, and morally and justly, then we are doing just that. The terrorists will not act in that manner. They will continue to strike without warning, without mercy, and with no regard for the lives of innocents. If you disagree with them, they consider you to be their mortal enemy. You cannot reason with them, because only reasonable people can reason. You cannot use logic on them, because their searing hate is inherently illogical.
The Taliban and Bin Laden's cohorts have awakened the sleeping giant, allowed the elephant into the playground, and if I may use one more cliche, they started this conflict and now they must ride the whirlwind of their own creation.
I wonder if the doubters out there will feel guilty about American defending her people if Bin Laden or some other terrorist unleashes a bio-chem attack. Of course, by then it will be too late...
-------------------- Everything in life I ever needed to know I learned from The Simpsons.
posted
Omega: Out of curiosty, what ever happened to the whole "turn the other cheek" idea?
Constellation: Morality and justice have no place in war? I'm not even going to touch that. It's probably one of the most abhorrent things I've heard in recent memory...
posted
One guy died, no further infections. No telling where he got it.
Out of curiosty, what ever happened to the whole "turn the other cheek" idea?
International politics has little to do with Christianity. Especially when dealing with mass murderers and monsters like this. From a religious viewpoint, I don't know what we're supposed to do here. But from a logical viewpoint, there's only one choice, and that's exactly the one we're executing.
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
posted
Another co-worker has tested positively for Anthrax, and is being given treatments. Apparently, tests of the workplace have also revealed Anthrax.
[ October 08, 2001: Message edited by: Malnurtured Snay ]
posted
Before I start panicking, can you tell me where these reports came from? Out of all the wepons of mass destruction out there, bio-weapons scare me the most.
IP: Logged
posted
BOCA RATON, Florida (AP) -- Anthrax has been detected in a co-worker of a man who died after contracting a rare inhaled form of the disease and tests at the building where both worked have found evidence of the bacterium, authorities said.
A nasal swab from the man, whose name was not immediately made public, tested positive for the anthrax bacterium, Tim O'Conner, regional spokesman for the Florida Department of Health, said Monday.
It was not yet clear if anthrax had spread to his lungs or if he had a full-blown case of the disease. The man was in stable condition at an unidentified hospital, according to both the Florida and North Carolina health departments.
His co-worker, Bob Stevens, had recently visited North Carolina. Stevens died Friday, the first person in 25 years in the United States to have died from an inhaled form of anthrax.
News that Stevens had contracted the disease set off fears of bio-terrorism, especially when it was revealed that Middle Eastern men were believed to have recently visited an airfield about 40 miles from Stevens' home in Lantana and asked questions about crop-dusters.
O'Conner said he couldn't say that the second case was related to terrorism. "That would take a turn in the investigation," said O'Conner. "It's a different aspect, we were thinking more of environmental sources."
Stevens, 63, was a photo editor at the supermarket tabloid The Sun. Environmental tests performed at the Sun's offices in Boca Raton have detected the anthrax bacteria, said O'Conner.
The Sun's offices have been closed off and law enforcement, local and state health and CDC officials were to take additional samples from the building on Monday, O'Conner said.
About 300 people who work in the building are being contacted by the Sun and instructed not come to work Monday and undergo antibiotic treatment to prevent the disease.
The FBI was helping in the search for the source of the bacterium, said Miami FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela. But "the current risk of anthrax is extremely low," O'Conner said.
It was unclear when the final tests would tell whether or not the second man has anthrax. The bacterium normally has an incubation period of up to seven days, but could take up to 60 days to develop, O'Conner said.
"We're waiting for additional testing to see if it will become a confirmed case of anthrax or not," said Barbara Reynolds, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "I realize for the public this is going to be a very slight distinction."
Michael Kahane, vice president and general counsel of American Media Inc., which publishes the Sun and two other tabloids, the Globe and the National Enquirer, confirmed the company closed its Boca Raton building at the request of state health officials.
"We are cooperating with the department of health and all other governmental agencies investigating this matter," he said Monday. "Obviously our first concern is the health and well-being of our employees and their families."
Only 18 inhalation cases in the United States were documented in the 20th century, the most recent in 1976 in California. State records show the last anthrax case in Florida was in 1974.
Officials believe Stevens contracted anthrax naturally in Florida. The disease can be contracted from farm animals or soil, though the bacterium is not normally found among wildlife or livestock in the state. Stevens was described as an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and gardening.
County medical examiners are looking over any unexplained deaths, but have not found any cases connected to anthrax. Veterinarians have been told to be on alert for animals who might have the disease, but none have turned up.
Health officials are checking intensive care units of area hospitals to check records going back 30 days for suspicious cases. They should be finished Monday, said O'Conner.
"International politics has little to do with Christianity."
So you're saying that Christian ideals are not supposed to be followed universally? I just want to be clear on this for the next time you go needlessly touting your beliefs...
posted
I'm in complete agreement with our response. These monsters do not deserve any of our mercy. We have put up with terrorist groups for long enough and it is time we showed them that they can no longer continue on their "Holy" paths.
I would love to live in a world where there was no war or violence but we don't live in that kind of world we live in this one. And in this world people kill people. The question is can we take an action even if it is a violent one that will stop the slaughter of innocents. If the answer is yes then we need to do it. That is what we have here. We cannot talk to these individuals and get them to stop their terrorist actions. So we were given a choice, we could either sit here and talk about what a terrible thing they did or we could strike back. Both have their positives and their negatives. Only time is going to be able to tell us which was the best option to chose, but since we don't have time to spare we went with our best option.
-------------------- The Poster formally known as Tec.
posted
So you're saying that Christian ideals are not supposed to be followed universally?
Sure they are. But sometimes you get stuck in a bad situation, because it's a bad world. The choices are effectively: do you attempt to convert the lunatics who stand little chance of listening, while allowing more likely cantidates to be killed; or do you kill the terrorists, and save the ones that might actually be saved? Two bad choices. You chose the lesser evil.
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
(I dunno. Why don'cha ask BinLaden what happened to the peacefulness mandated by Islam?)
Not being a follower of that particular religion, the question is meaningless to me. However, I will answer that in my opinion, It's a valueless dictate, and fosters a slave mentality. If you turn the other cheek to a vicious enemy, all you'll end up with is two bloody cheeks to his zero. (Which is the answer to the fib that is 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves us all blind and toothless.')
Christianity also, in one place, says 'Do not resist evil,' which is also foolish for any free society. Obviously, everybody should resist evil.
Keep in mind, however, that 1st-century Judea was NOT a free society, having been conquered by the Romans, and that accepting wrongs done under those circumstances was the alternative to failed insurrection. (As in 'what cannot be helped must be endured.')
[ October 08, 2001: Message edited by: First of Two ]
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of god."
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven."
-Isho', circa 30 CE
Am I imagining things, or does this make me, of all people, a better Christian than Omega?
capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
War is wrong.
I'm not saying that no retribution is necessary for the actions taken against us, but its important to realize that the half-century leading up to this is fraught with mistakes on the part of our country. Of course, now that we are committed to this course of action, there really isnt any way to back out. It would be asinine to take the blow that we took and not safeguard ourselves against further attacks. But let no one forget that it takes two sides to start a war....
-------------------- "Are you worried that your thoughts are not quite.. clear?"
Printer-friendly view of this topic
