With the consent of the masses

Discussion in 'Ethics, Morality, & Justice' started by S.A.M., Aug 25, 2009.

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How should Americans respond to drone attacks by the US?

  1. speak up in support of the Predator Drone missile attacks

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  2. speak up for the people who will die as the stikes continue

    1 vote(s)
    25.0%
  3. just be silent and ignore it all.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  4. some other opinion

    3 vote(s)
    75.0%
  1. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    72,825
    How many Americans in their hearts are on the side of the humble families of Pakistani citizens slaughtered in Predator drone airplane Hellfire missile attacks, and how many are on the side of the angelic, charming, Harvard Law School educated first black president of the United States, who, a few days after his inauguration, ordered these drone airplane Hellfire missile attacks in the name of 9/11? (Something he had said he would do if he were elected.)

    President orders air strikes on villages in tribal area, Guardian, UK, Jan. 24, 2009

    Obviously, there are overwhelmingly more Americans with President Obama - no matter what orders he gives. How is this so? Weekly grisly reports of massacres, some with accompanying heartrending photos from wire service news releases and articles that many of us read on the Internet, and often enough see in the New York Times and other widely read print media.

    But the majority of Americans are spared these AP reports. They get their impressions of the news from conglomerate owned TV, radio, tabloids and local home town newspapers, in which a massacre has to be nearly, or over, one hundred bodies counted to make it into these news channels.

    Many years ago Noam Chomsky of MIT and Ed Herman of the Wharton School of Economics explained how public consent is manufactured by corporate run media through selection, filtering and repetitious emphasis of what it presents as news worthy while not reporting or underreporting that which might make for a well informed and discerning public.

    Seems commercial media also manufactures DISINTEREST as well. There would appear to be many more millions of Americans leading a lifestyle that does not include interest in political current events, much less interest what their government is doing halfway around the world.

    This perhaps largest group of citizens would tend to be not taking sides on foreign issues - Pakistan? - ‘not my problem!’ - ‘what could I do?’ Beyond the self-centeredness pushed on hedonistic entertainment consumer oriented TV programing, millions of ordinary working Americans are suffering with their day to day family finances, especially during the recession and have little time left over for practicing citizenship.

    However, those who WILLINGLY choose to be neutral about the loss of human life during these Predator Drone pilotless missiles strikes might consider the warning of the great Italian poet Dante, who, believing in citizen responsibility, wrote sometime before his death in 1321, "The HOTTEST fires in Hell are reserved for those, who in times of moral crisis, maintain neutrality."

    Indifference to deaths and maiming of non-Americans who fall in harms way of U.S. military action is a tradition in the United States. This attitude or non attitude is sponsored by American major media, anchors and commentator personnel consciously working hand in glove with U.S. military propaganda.

    Its a free country, anyone can 1) speak up in support of the Predator Drone missile attacks, 2) speak up for the Pakistanis who will die as the stikes continue, or 3) just be silent and ignore it all.​

    http://www.countercurrents.org/janson190709.htm


    Whats your choice? What should Americans do? What should be the role of the masses in military adventurism? Answer the poll
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2009
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  3. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    If they are for it they can speak up in support of it.
    If they are against it they can speak up against it.
    If they don't care either way, they can keep silent.
    I don't think they should speak up for or against anything, especially not if it contradicts their views.
     
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  5. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    What would you want the Dutch to do re: their adventurism in Afganistan? If that helps to create context - what would be your position if they were using these drones?
     
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  7. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I don't know. Without any evidence to the contrary I'll assume that they know what they are doing.
     
  8. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Ah so you would be indifferent or neutral to civilians being killed by drones by your government? What if they were gassing them in ovens? Would you have an opinion on it?
     
  9. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    No, I wouldn't be indifferent. But I would also not pretend to know better than the military about what needs to be done.
     
  10. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    So you would do nothing because the military knows better.
     
  11. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Because I would assume the military knows what they are doing, unless I had evidence to the contrary of course.
     
  12. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    That explains why you guys are in Afghanistan at least.
     
  13. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    No it doesn't.
     
  14. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    72,825
    Yes it does

    Who is in these homes the Dutch are bombing? Do you know? How many families? Kids? What happened to them? Any names?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_jq9g5oBVo


    Nah too much trouble. Go back to sleep
     
  15. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    No, I don't know. I didn't send them, so they aren't there because of me.
    So you form, and act on, opinions based on a at most a poor understanding of situations?
    I don't.
     
  16. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    I see the Dutch bombing Afghan villages. I see the Dutch people disinterested in their troops bombing Afghan villages.
     
  17. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    43,184
    I see, you do.. continually.

    Edit: You know SAM, it would be very easy to say something along the same lines to you. But I won't.
     
  18. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Like I said, you should go back to sleep, because the Dutch bombing the Afghan villages clearly know what they are doing

    Just like Afghan troops bombing Dutch villages would know what they are doing.
     
  19. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    43,184

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

    lol

    First of all, they are not MY troops.
    Secondly, I never said that they know what they are doing. I said that I can only assume that they know what they are doing because I don't know enough about the situation. I'm not there.
    And lastly, why would people killing each other have my primary interest ? There are more pressing issues in the world. I guess that is shocking to you..
     
  20. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    72,825
    Ah you're merely indifferent to carnage. Sadly these people in this bombed out Afghan village don't have that luxury

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_DqT7BGXc
     
  21. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    43,184
    Where did I say that I'm indifferent to carnage?
     
  22. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    72,825
    You're just too busy to have an interest in protesting what your troops are doing just like everyone else in those countries that are occupying and bombing these defenceless people?

    Maybe you can give an opinion on what can be done about these dead bodies by the truckload?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyowNt9MR0c

    What is your opinion on these victims of the coalition forces sent by your representatives in government?
     
  23. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    I'll repeat, why should people killing other each other be my primary interest?
    Look at the world, people are killing each other en masse daily.
    Why do you focus on Afghanistan? Why do you focus on people?
    There are much worse things happing in the world and I don't hear you about that.
     

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