[thechat] West v. East (was: civilized vs. uncivilized)

Erika Meyer emeyer at lclark.edu
Thu Sep 27 11:13:46 CDT 2001


>Erika, pehaps in lieu of this debate here we can just provide you with
>some histories from around the world on the second world war?

Thank you, I have listened to Ron's historical data and it does not 
convince me of anything.

When I speak out against against killing people, it does not mean 
that I advocate inaction.

With a little time to think, there are many many actions that a 
person can take in any given situation.  Some more effective than 
others, some more costly than others.

>I can't see that you're understanding any of the points being made about
>the fact that sometimes, war is a necessary pastime for humanity.

No, I have not been convinced of that.

If someone walks into my home and threatens my family... if it is 
"kill or be killed"... if I could kill that person and save my child, 
I would.  In self-defense.  (Though my first choice would be to 
escape.)

But that is not an act of war on my part, it is an act of self defense.

I maintain that there are very viable and preferable alternative 
solutions to conflict, and that war is an unnecessary, brutal, 
dangerous and outdated activity.

The problems which we try to address with war are complex and there 
are a variety of approaches to them.

>War = Bad, Very Bad -- which is as much as I'm understanding from you at
>the moment. :-(

You'd think it would be self-evident, wouldn't you?

>Your vision of the world is utopian, and worthwhile, but fails to
>convince me to become a Quaker. :-\

I'm not a Quaker either.

But I do know that I was born, I am a alive, and one day I will die.

And what matters most to me is what kind of life I lead.  It matters 
to me that LIFE gets the respect it deserves.  To me that means 
thinking of all the earth as one organism, of considering the 
sustainability of life.

No one should force anyone to become a murderer.

Erika
-- 




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