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Resistance See other Resistance Articles Title: The Government Just Keeps Droning on and on and on... Just in time for Christmas, I saw in the news that the U.S. military wants to expand its drone program. Hmmm
Murder, Inc. is on the march. It was once said that the speed of human technology far exceeds the ethics that need to be investigated in its use prior to just bringing it in without questions. In other words, before anyone has even explored the moral dimension of drone use to kill people, its already been implemented and its a done deal. Yes, of course, the wars the U.S. wages are immoral in the first place. However, the use of drones presents us with some serious moral questions that I think are either not being asked, or not being asked loud enough. For instance: These drone pilots, for example. Has anyone considered the moral implications of people that are routinely killing other human beings thousands of miles away with just the flip of a switch? Its probably far easier for them to kill another human being than to purchase a Christmas present right now at their local shopping mall. Or, at least, with far, far less hassle. My question is this: What are the long-term psychological implications of this? The innate knowledge that you have killed a person does not just go away. However, this individual has done so without so much as having entered a cockpit and travelled to the place in question. Nor is it the same as a crew that fired a missile from a ship. They may or may not kill people. The drone pilot KNOWS he has just flipped the switch on another human being. And it was so easy. I have more questions: On what basis was it decided that it was acceptable to kill Americans with these drones, without a trial? How does one get on that list? Who has that list? How is it compiled? What are the parameters that decide people deserve death? Is this, what, some kind of Star Chamber where some shadowy cabal of deep government officials does a thumbs up or down judgment like Roman emperors in the Coliseum? How did this all get by the much-vaunted checks and balances that were allegedly in place to safeguard against the acquisition of power such as this? Or have the checks and balances quietly disappeared in some silent coup that happened right under our noses while we were basically politically asleep? Friends, we are not entering dangerous territory for liberty. We have long passed the signpost at the border and have already entered it. No one can tell you how to avoid getting on the Ultimate Santas List. And who knows if hes really checking it twice to make sure whos naughty and nice are not equally targeted for a drone strike to shut them up or cover up a government scandal? If assassination is legal and available at the press of a button or the flip of a switch upon the sez so of the government itself without a trial, can anyone really believe this power has not and will not be abused? If there is no transparency to show us how its being used, its obviously being abused. Things one is ashamed of are kept in the dark, hence the term underworld used for organized crime. Therefore, again, we have people that can sit at a seat and off another person between bites of pizza. Think about that. Heres a desk with a computer screen and a control stick. The pilot has his sodas and snacks and takes a sip of coke and presses a button, and a car with a sixteen year old teen is vaporized. Because this kid was on the list. Perhaps the pilot doesnt even know what the target did. Hes just following orders, right? And where have we heard that phrase before? Again, there are certainly psychologically damaging consequences for this that we havent even dreamed of in conventional psychology and psychiatry at this point. Because the technology has raced ahead of any questions that needed to be openly and honestly examined BEFORE we just went ahead and did this. But, we all know what the government solution will be when there are psychological problems resulting from this, dont we? Indeed. Here, take this pill. Now go away. There is a reason why God commanded Thou shalt not kill. When a society is as violent as ours is, we can see what the reasons are for that precept. Some translations interpret that as Thou shalt not murder. But both conditions are met when issuing death warrants without a public trial where the accused has the right to examine and confront the evidence and accusers. The reason why this commandment exists is because without it, a moral society is not possible. People like to say, yeah, well what about an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Did you know that was to limit retribution and avoid escalation and disproportionate violence? In other words, you couldnt do the entire village wiped out for an eye. Jesus also further clarified this saying instead of an eye for an eye, maybe we better think about the concept of letting it go and moving on. The other guys eye or tooth wont bring your own back. People say, hey, were at war, weve got to defend ourselves. But has this whole drone use thing truly made us safer? I dont see that it has especially frightened ISIS to the extent theyve abandoned their course of action. But there is a hidden danger weve forgotten in our rush to be safe. You see, once the government acquires a new power, it holds that new power indefinitely. That power never expires. Therefore, the ability to use drones to kill American citizens without a trial will never go away. Think about that and ask yourself if that sounds like anything a sane person would think rational. Why would anyone entrust a government with that kind of power? Americans that live in cities where these air force bases used by drones are located, will cheer on the news. That air force base is great for the local economy! Think about that for a moment. Killing other people across the globe is great for the local economy. Excuse me, but what happened to the concept of TRADE with other people across the globe being great for the local economy? I want to buy things from people on this planet, not host shadowy entities that kill them. Dont kill those people in my name. I dont support that. What do I support? Peace on Earth, and to people, good will. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top Page Up Full Thread Page Down Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Ada (#0)
Merry Christmas, brown-skinned peoples of the Middle East!! Ho ho ho..... Top Page Up Full Thread Page Down Bottom/Latest |
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