this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2023
384 points (84.2% liked)
Memes
45544 readers
1244 users here now
Rules:
- Be civil and nice.
- Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
You haven't cited anything. You've made reference to them at best. Saying a thing is not citing it.
So then things like Russia sanctions are bad too? If so what do you suggest as an alternative? If not when do you draw the line?
You made that clear, but you didn't really express how. Have we been responsible for more death? More negative impact to lives? If that, how is it measured? Does it make a difference how much time it has been going on? If we've killed less per year is that better?
If one guy kills your family in front of you, but the other pokes you with a needle every day of your life, who do you have stronger feelings about? Who is the bigger villain?
Yes, America has a history of being terrible, and it doesn't look like it's stopping any time soon, but it's just the most obvious, current bad guy. That doesn't make it the biggest in history or now. That doesn't excuse current practices, but it also doesn't mean hyperbole (real or perceived) is going to help you.
I'm not going to reply to new lines of thought, I don't feel you replied to anything I have said in good faith.
For example, misusing the word "citation" isn't noteworthy, but yes I misused it, pretend I said mention or reference. You didn't respond to the US artificial famine in Yemen that is active today at all.
I didn't anticipate you talking about Russian or Chinese sanctions and wasn't thinking that way. I don't think sanctions against Russia or China are good or bad, I have no opinion because of the massive propaganda that's too hard to sift through.
I was mentioning sanctions in regard to oil rich nations like Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, Yemen. Just like the non-existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the wars and sanctions that I have looked into more, are clearly to prevent oil sales at the expense of starving children and causing unneeded suffering.
That's fine. I don't feel like you're here in good faith either, so I guess we're on equal footing.
I disagree. It's a misrepresentation. These are common in your rhetoric, like your position on sanctions, but we'll get to those in a moment.
Or any other genocide the US has participated in, but you choose to specifically call out this one.
Then perhaps you should be more careful with your language choices. You said sanctions are bad, but these ones aren't. Yet you didn't address where the line is for you, despite just admitting these ones aren't bad. Whether they're good or not is, presently, immaterial.
No, you mentioned sanctions. You may have intended to be more specific, but you weren't. No one else knows what is in your mind so if you want to discuss things in a productive manner you need to be able to do effectively. Saying one thing and meaning another is not that.
Are not the entirety of the wars and sanctions that have been taken. If I judge you only by your worst actions would that be fair? This is by no means a claim that the US is any one thing or another, but pointing out that you can't pick and choose when you're trying to make a judgement of morality.
I will point you at any international policing action ever. Do you think innocent German children in the 1940s felt no repercussions from the war? The same question works in the 19-teens and following. Whether they're right or not, unless you've got a better solution, they are, on occasion, necessary. Innocent have suffered because of the actions of the powerful, both above them and against those above them, for as long as there have been people. In the words of John Lennon, "you say you've got a real solution? We'd all live to see the plan".
I don't know where you'll separate new lines of thought from existing ones. I frankly don't care. You can reply to everything or nothing. It's more important that you come to understand you do not have the position you appear to think you do. I doubt you'll get there today, but I hope you can at some point.