Imagine a criminal is inside your neighbor’s house. To stop the criminal from doing any harm, your other neighbors decide to set the house on fire to kill the criminal. When you protest, your neighbors call you a hermit. Now imagine this: another country is being ruled by an oppressive dictator, so the United States government decides to bomb that country. Those who oppose bombing are called isolationists. For some reason, while the former situation would be considered absurd, the latter is considered reasonable. Use of force may be morally acceptable if and only if strictly in defense of self or others; however, war almost always harms civilians, which is morally wrong.
An understanding of the Just War Theory can explain which wars are just and unjust. While the Just War Theory originated in Catholic theology, its principles are compatible with any belief system that values human life. The criteria for a just war include that it must be fought as a last resort, with a just cause, legitimate authority, the right intention, a rational probability of success, and a distinction between the enemy and civilians (“Just-War Theory”). By these standards, none of the wars the United States has been involved in could be considered just.
Some wars are fought with a just cause, but do not meet all the criteria for a just war. In World War II, for example, Hitler was clearly on the side of evil, and we were right to stop him, but the United States was responsible for the killing of civilians. Over 150,000 civilians were killed in Hiroshima and 75,000 were killed in Nagasaki (“Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll”). Between 35,000 and 100,000 were killed in Dresden (Taylor). Because nuclear weapons kill indiscriminately, they cannot be used in a just war.
A common argument in favor of weapons that kill indiscriminately is that they are sometimes necessary to prevent more deaths. For example, it is widely believed among Americans that bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary to end World War II, even though evidence suggests that Japan already knew they had lost the war ("Was Hiroshima Necessary to End the War?"). Even still, killing indiscriminately in a war is no more reasonable than setting a house on fire because a criminal is inside the house. We must go out of our way to avoid killing civilians in war.
Although the Democrats are considered by many to be the anti-war party, unjust warfare isn’t limited to the Republican Party. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton expressed views on foreign policy that are incompatible with just war. Clinton argued that “more [air] strikes” are necessary to defeat ISIS (Clinton). Anti-war protests were much more mainstream during the Bush administration than they were during the Obama administration, despite the two presidents having similar foreign policies.
A few things must change within the anti-war community to be more effective. Education is extremely important. The anti-war movement must also welcome people of all backgrounds. Unfortunately, anti-war protests have excluded other groups because of their views on other issues. For example, consistent life group Rehumanize International was excluded from two anti-war marches in 2017, due to their anti-abortion position. This is not the way to effectively protest war. Pro-life organizations could benefit the anti-war movement, so that conservative pro-lifers will be less likely to write off opposition to unjust war as a leftist concern.
In conclusion, unjust war is a serious problem that our world faces. When no distinction is made between the enemy and civilians, people are killed indiscriminately, which cannot be morally justified. The problem of unjust war isn’t just limited to the Republican Party; Democratic politicians support it as well. Many are misinformed about war, and many anti-war activists are unwilling to welcome those whose views on unrelated issues differ from theirs, which only makes the anti-war movement weaker. While defensive killing is morally acceptable, indiscriminate killing is not, making the vast majority of wars immoral.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
January 2019 thoughts
Call me a heretic all you want, but I don't believe God is a malevolent
dictator (or even a "benevolent" dictator), and honestly I think it's
blasphemy to imply that He is.
***
Stay goth, Ponyboy. Stay goth.
***
Why is it that the people with the worst ideas are always in charge of the stuff they're terrible at?
***
Why do we have to suffer because some students are lazy?
***
Reise, Reise is such an awesome album, just saying.
***
I hate when I know this really great effed-up joke but I can't tell anyone because they'll either get offended or they'll start to worry about my mental health. Which, okay, my mental health isn't exactly good, but it's not because of my sense of humor.
***
I don't like the word "homophobia" because it implies that people who are against gay rights are legitimately afraid of gay people when really, they're just bigots.
***
I'm not asexual, but I am so sick of people acting like I'm "repressed" or "not a real feminist" because I personally choose abstinence (at least until I find the right person), as opposed to being promiscuous. Thing is, casual sex doesn't even interest me. Like, at all. If anything, the idea of it repulses me. I don't even like hugging people I'm not close to, so why would I want to have sex with them? Besides, there are so many better things to do, like eating good food, playing The Sims, drawing, doing arts and crafts, listening to Rammstein, and shopping at a store that sells really awesome stuff when you actually have money. Just saying.
***
Government shutdowns are just the political version of "if you don't give me what I want, I'll hold my breath until I turn blue."
***
The government isn't actually shut down. It's just being selective about what it chooses to do and making all the wrong decisions.
***
***
I'm kind of disappointed that my mom and sister went to see Dear Evan Hansen, but I wasn't interested until it was too late to buy tickets. But it's so sad and perfect for my depressing personality!
***
I'm more likely to tolerate triggering (for the lack of a better word) content in books if I actually was interested in reading the book in the first place. Which is why I can enjoy Let the Right One In and have problems with books I have to read for school that are nowhere near as messed up.
***
New York government, you suck. Figuratively and literally.
***
You can't be in favor of small government while supporting a border wall, unjust war, the war on drugs, legislated morality (other than legislation against aggressive violence), forced patriotism, the death penalty, and violations of the Fourth Amendment.
***
I think everyone should read Pro-Life Feminism: Yesterday and Today, especially if they don't want to read it.
I'm not expecting it to change everyone's mind about the issue, but it's important to read perspectives other than the polarized partisan garbage that we get now.
***
Them: "What's wrong?"
Me: "Nothing."
Me, in my mind: People think the Joker and Harley Quinn are two psychos who fell in love when the Joker is actually a manipulative jerk who abuses Harley, and movies don't portray that.
***
Country music is just farm emo.
***
I want to go to this dance, but I don't have a date. Maybe I should bring a cardboard cutout of Till Lindemann instead.
***
Stay goth, Ponyboy. Stay goth.
***
Why is it that the people with the worst ideas are always in charge of the stuff they're terrible at?
***
Why do we have to suffer because some students are lazy?
***
Reise, Reise is such an awesome album, just saying.
***
I hate when I know this really great effed-up joke but I can't tell anyone because they'll either get offended or they'll start to worry about my mental health. Which, okay, my mental health isn't exactly good, but it's not because of my sense of humor.
***
I don't like the word "homophobia" because it implies that people who are against gay rights are legitimately afraid of gay people when really, they're just bigots.
***
I'm not asexual, but I am so sick of people acting like I'm "repressed" or "not a real feminist" because I personally choose abstinence (at least until I find the right person), as opposed to being promiscuous. Thing is, casual sex doesn't even interest me. Like, at all. If anything, the idea of it repulses me. I don't even like hugging people I'm not close to, so why would I want to have sex with them? Besides, there are so many better things to do, like eating good food, playing The Sims, drawing, doing arts and crafts, listening to Rammstein, and shopping at a store that sells really awesome stuff when you actually have money. Just saying.
***
Government shutdowns are just the political version of "if you don't give me what I want, I'll hold my breath until I turn blue."
***
The government isn't actually shut down. It's just being selective about what it chooses to do and making all the wrong decisions.
***
Most Disney movies are overrated. Except Frozen which is a great movie that doesn't deserve all the hate it gets.
***
Disney's The Little Mermaid should have been more like the original Hans Christian Andersen story. Sad ending and all.
*** Shakespeare should be watched, not read, in schools. ***
I will never watch Avengers: Infinity War because NOT ENOUGH LOKI, GOSHDANGIT!
***
"Blurryface" by 21 Pilots is an annoying song.
***
Reading books indiscriminately is not my thing. Unfortunately, many people confuse this with "books are not my thing." That's not true at all. I enjoy a good book. I'm just very picky about which ones I read.
***
Corpse Bride is better than The Nightmare Before Christmas.
***
Rock is dead. Or at least the good rock is.
|
I'm kind of disappointed that my mom and sister went to see Dear Evan Hansen, but I wasn't interested until it was too late to buy tickets. But it's so sad and perfect for my depressing personality!
***
I'm more likely to tolerate triggering (for the lack of a better word) content in books if I actually was interested in reading the book in the first place. Which is why I can enjoy Let the Right One In and have problems with books I have to read for school that are nowhere near as messed up.
***
New York government, you suck. Figuratively and literally.
***
You can't be in favor of small government while supporting a border wall, unjust war, the war on drugs, legislated morality (other than legislation against aggressive violence), forced patriotism, the death penalty, and violations of the Fourth Amendment.
***
I think everyone should read Pro-Life Feminism: Yesterday and Today, especially if they don't want to read it.
I'm not expecting it to change everyone's mind about the issue, but it's important to read perspectives other than the polarized partisan garbage that we get now.
***
Them: "What's wrong?"
Me: "Nothing."
Me, in my mind: People think the Joker and Harley Quinn are two psychos who fell in love when the Joker is actually a manipulative jerk who abuses Harley, and movies don't portray that.
***
Country music is just farm emo.
***
I want to go to this dance, but I don't have a date. Maybe I should bring a cardboard cutout of Till Lindemann instead.
Friday, January 4, 2019
December 2018 thoughts
Not all Facebook statuses will be posted here, but here are a few worth mentioning:
I don't understand trigger warnings for "brief mention of" something. Like, wouldn't some people be triggered by the trigger warning?
***
Sometimes I want to draw Rammstein as stick figures, but then I remember that Till [Lindemann] is definitely not built like a stick and therefore drawing him as a stick figure would be really difficult.
***
I don't like it when people imply that if you believe in science, you must have a certain political view.
Take global warming for example. If you believe in global warming, you're "supposed" to support all sorts of regulations. If you don't support those regulations, it's because you don't believe in global warming. How about instead of debating over whether or not global warming exists, we debate over how to solve it? What are our priorities?
Abortion is another example. Understanding that the human fetus is alive and of the human species does not necessarily mean one is going to be pro-life. A person's views on the issue will depend on their morals, their priorities, and their philosophy about what makes a human a "person."
Science doesn't take a stance on the morality of abortion or what to do about climate change. It can tell us facts about the issues, but ultimately it's our morals, our philosophy, and our priorities that determine our views on the issue.
This is not to say that all moral beliefs are okay to have. Some people have really crappy morals. But having crappy morals is not the same as not understanding science.
***
If you're going to tell offensive jokes, they should at least be funny.
***
Thoughts from earlier this month (as expressed through Facebook statuses):
New TSA slogan: Can't see London, can't see France, unless we see your underpants.
***
Plot twist: Lindemann Elementary was named after Till Lindemann, thus being a heavy metal school where breakfast with Satan would be normal.
***
As the holiday season approaches, remember: anti-gay discrimination is only 3% of what The Salvation Army does, so if you choose not to donate to them, you obviously hate the poor.
That's what you should say to people who think "abortion is only 3% of what they do" is a good reason to support Planned Parenthood.
***
Pro-choice liberals: "Conservatives aren't really pro-life; they're just pro-birth."
Anti-abortion conservatives: "Yeah, just like saving a child from a burning building means you have to care for them the rest of your life and pay for their college tuition."
Problem is, anti-abortion conservatives* are more like firefighters saving children and then killing and torturing other children when they're not working. War is an act of aggression. An uninvolved government is one thing. A government that actually murders people is far worse. I mean, the child saved from the burning building can in theory have someone else pay for their college tuition. Nothing can un-murder or un-torture children.
***
That new Spider-Man movie was FREAKING AWESOME!
***
So let me get this straight: if Jehovah's Witnesses shun people who have left the church or whatever, it's their religion and we should respect that, but if I decide to shun someone who hates Rammstein, I'm taking things too far?
***
Me: "Every life has value, no matter what, and therefore we should condemn all forms of aggressive violence."
Also me:
I don't understand trigger warnings for "brief mention of" something. Like, wouldn't some people be triggered by the trigger warning?
***
Sometimes I want to draw Rammstein as stick figures, but then I remember that Till [Lindemann] is definitely not built like a stick and therefore drawing him as a stick figure would be really difficult.
***
I don't like it when people imply that if you believe in science, you must have a certain political view.
Take global warming for example. If you believe in global warming, you're "supposed" to support all sorts of regulations. If you don't support those regulations, it's because you don't believe in global warming. How about instead of debating over whether or not global warming exists, we debate over how to solve it? What are our priorities?
Abortion is another example. Understanding that the human fetus is alive and of the human species does not necessarily mean one is going to be pro-life. A person's views on the issue will depend on their morals, their priorities, and their philosophy about what makes a human a "person."
Science doesn't take a stance on the morality of abortion or what to do about climate change. It can tell us facts about the issues, but ultimately it's our morals, our philosophy, and our priorities that determine our views on the issue.
This is not to say that all moral beliefs are okay to have. Some people have really crappy morals. But having crappy morals is not the same as not understanding science.
***
If you're going to tell offensive jokes, they should at least be funny.
***
Thoughts from earlier this month (as expressed through Facebook statuses):
New TSA slogan: Can't see London, can't see France, unless we see your underpants.
***
Plot twist: Lindemann Elementary was named after Till Lindemann, thus being a heavy metal school where breakfast with Satan would be normal.
***
As the holiday season approaches, remember: anti-gay discrimination is only 3% of what The Salvation Army does, so if you choose not to donate to them, you obviously hate the poor.
That's what you should say to people who think "abortion is only 3% of what they do" is a good reason to support Planned Parenthood.
***
Pro-choice liberals: "Conservatives aren't really pro-life; they're just pro-birth."
Anti-abortion conservatives: "Yeah, just like saving a child from a burning building means you have to care for them the rest of your life and pay for their college tuition."
Problem is, anti-abortion conservatives* are more like firefighters saving children and then killing and torturing other children when they're not working. War is an act of aggression. An uninvolved government is one thing. A government that actually murders people is far worse. I mean, the child saved from the burning building can in theory have someone else pay for their college tuition. Nothing can un-murder or un-torture children.
***
That new Spider-Man movie was FREAKING AWESOME!
***
So let me get this straight: if Jehovah's Witnesses shun people who have left the church or whatever, it's their religion and we should respect that, but if I decide to shun someone who hates Rammstein, I'm taking things too far?
***
Me: "Every life has value, no matter what, and therefore we should condemn all forms of aggressive violence."
Also me:
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