What is the difference between executing someone on death row in Texas and killing a terrorist with a drone attack? I am posting this as a question but will weigh in tomorrow - just want to get this thread off and running.
13 Comments
10/8/2011 03:54:27 am
So Art, all things being equal (like if there were more fairness in the system) you would be more for the execution than the drone attack? The quotes around "war" sound like you're saying it isn't justified to do the drone attack because it isn't really war. I'm still sorting this one out, but I tend to think it IS a war thing - that al-Awlaki presented an imminent threat so it was a defensive action to kill him. You would have to accept the premise of war being about protecting the country, and that we are at war with terrorists to agree with this, so I don't know if that's true for you. I wasn't ever against us invading Afghanistan after 9/11 - I was adamantly against Iraq for a host of reasons but I believe we need a Dept.of Defense and I feel like drone attacks to take out terrorists have the advantage of minimal collateral damage. I have a feeling you're going to rip me to shreds for this, and I want to hear it because I really still need to think on this some more.
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First of all, I am totally against the death penalty. Even if the system was fixed (if that is even possible) and we could guarantee that no innocent person was ever executed, I would still be against it. I am just morally opposed. I do not think that killing is right, even if the government is doing it. I am generally uncomfortable with giving the government that power over one of its citizens.
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Nice blog, Julie!
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10/18/2011 08:27:01 am
Thank you Keith!!
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Greg Dant
10/18/2011 08:45:04 am
Part of the argument for the drone attack was that it would have not been easy or convenient to capture these guys. I am still searching for the section in the US Constitution that allows ANY POTUS to have American citizens murdered without due process, regardless of the convenience. As far as I am concerned, Obama in all of his self-righteous glory is every bit as much a criminal as those US citizens that he had asssinated... Since when is it OK to pick and choose when to abide by the constitution?
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Greg Dant
10/18/2011 08:47:13 am
OH BTW, nice blog, Julie!
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10/18/2011 08:56:37 am
Thank you so much, Greg, and thanks for coming by!
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Lloyd
10/19/2011 04:24:26 am
I must admit I haven't read all the comments but I just wanted to make a comment. Our constitution states ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL no all American men. Why do we as Americans deserve more rights than someone who was by the luck of the draw unfortunate enough to be born in a Muslim country with a valuable natural resource under them??
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Greg Dant
10/20/2011 09:05:38 am
Hmm... does this mean that women were not created equal? My wife is here to tell you otherwise. LOL And what is this "created" biz? You liberals need to get to work on having this revised to, "All humans evolved equal". Oh, now that is funny!
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Greg I'm prrretty sure Lloyd was simply quoting the phrasing used in the Constitution.
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Greg Dant
10/20/2011 10:12:45 am
I think that the topic deserves its own discussion, if you don't mind starting a new thread...
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