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

To: Ilaine who wrote (212412)	1/10/2007 5:32:16 PM
From: cnyndwllr	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

"Do you think it's abnormal for a policeman to keep hitting on a captured felon after he's subdued him? Just for a little while, a few extra blows? I mean, one that was fighting back, who threw some blows and kicks and punches himself, made the cop afraid for his own life." Of course that's within the range of "normal?" The question, of course, becomes whether "normal" somehow means "more forgivable?" With vast power comes vast responsibility. When a person takes on a badge, or a uniform, or a surgical gown, or a law degree, or a seat in power in politics he, or she, will continue to experience "normal" impulses, some of them base. What they'll also achieve as a result of their greater power, however, is a greater capacity to act on those impulses. We have a higher standard for people in such position and when they assume that power they should recognize and accept that higher standard. If they falter and come up short then they must be punished harshly so that others in the same position will know that they must not act out their basest "normal impulses." So we show little sympathy for such "normal actions," so that other "real cops, real soldiers, [and] real prison guards," will have some sort of a "don't do that" jolt when they're about to "keep hitting on a captured felon." And that's a good thing because our "best and brightest" are often no better, and many are much worse, than the average guy on the street. In fact some "real cops, real soldiers, [and] real prison guards" are sadistic, brutal, scum. At least that's been my experience and I'm not one of the "Sweet little old ladies who never raised their voices once in their lives because they grew up in a protective cocoon [and] have no idea whatsoever about what I'm talking about." Ed

To: Ilaine who wrote (212412)	1/10/2007 6:53:39 PM
From: Ish	Respond to of 281500

<<Do you think it's abnormal for a policeman to keep hitting on a captured felon after he's subdued him? Just for a little while, a few extra blows? I mean, one that was fighting back, who threw some blows and kicks and punches himself, made the cop afraid for his own life.>> That's called pay back.

To: Ilaine who wrote (212412)	1/10/2007 7:52:28 PM
From: Maurice Winn	Respond to of 281500

CB, I took your revenge comment as being a generalized revenge, rather than against specific individuals. My uncle didn't have generalized revenge feelings against Germans. It was that particular German. There were rules of the game - you try to kill us and we try to kill you, and if we are prisoners, then we don't get water-boarding, stress positions, beatings or shot in the ditch. When the vicious German over-stepped the bounds of fair-enough, he became a target for revenge. So, shooting up a village full of women and children in revenge is in a league different from revenge against males who certainly supported the assassination attempt against Saddam and most likely got those who were responsible. A situation of collateral damage, which is acceptable in USA military processes too. But the USA does the collateral damage from a greater distance [then misses the guy they were after all too often]. Hiroshima involved a LOT of collateral damage. The women and children in the town where Saddam arranged for murder of the males are definitely better off than the women and children in My Lai, Haditha, or Hiroshima. It's interesting seeing the reactions to the suggestion. It's amusing actually [because people can't seem to see the parallels, then they wonder what the IEDs keep going off and Islamic Jihad keeps wanting to kill Americans]. Mqurice