Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (134328)	5/25/2004 3:50:54 AM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

CB, I discussed all of these under the venue of "human rights in Iraq". Apparently, I lack the writing skills to get that point across. I have "excused" nothing. Are you suggesting it is impossible to discuss the broader human right issues in Iraq, and the positive role we've played there in that regard, because of the prisoner abuse scandal?

To: Ilaine who wrote (134328)	5/30/2004 6:14:42 PM
From: Bilow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Hi CobaltBlue; Re: "Wrong is wrong. Don't try to excuse it away by "context"." I recently read the fascinating book "The Custom of the Sea", which goes into great detail on how Britain finally managed (in the late 19th century) to make it murder to kill humans for food when hungry. Rather than let the case be tried before a jury of their peers, who would assuredly have failed to convict, the authorities arranged for a trial by judges interpreting the law, who convicted. The penalty for murder in England at the time was death by hanging, but the authorities weren't looking for revenge or punishment, so much as just getting it onto the books that killing humans for food was murder, so after declaring a penalty of death by hanging, the Crown commuted the sentence to 6 months in prison, without hard labour. This was more or less a slap on the wrists at the time. Here's a link to the book: amazon.com I doubt that a jury made of modern citizens would have much trouble convicting a man of murder who cut the throat of another and drank his blood, no matter the "context". -- Carl