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militarize an entire planet (0.00 / 0)

"Does that make Captain Kirk "evil?" He obviously
broke The Prime Directive in order to protect the
greater strategic interests of The Federation.
You could argue what he did in that one episode
had greater moral implications than what Jack
Bauer did in 8 seasons of 24, because he was making a
choice to militarize an entire planet (granted,
his hand was forced by the Klingons arming the
villagers."

So you are arguing that militarizing an entire
planet is morally equivalent torture?
Just about every country on planet earth actually
has a military, and you're arguing that that is
just as bad as torture? really?

What 24 does so brilliantly is portray torture
as just another essential technique in keeping
America safe (no worse than having a military).
24 makes the argument that the "ticking time bomb"
justifies torture, and that "ticking time bomb"
scenarios happen all the time.

See also:

http://www.humanrightsfirst.or...

24 and Jack Bauer, by persuading real people in
the real military that torture is ok and even noble,
is having a real and evil effect on the real world:

http://www.newyorker.com/repor...

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by: Katie @ Sat May 09, 2009 at 16:22:10 PM CDT

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Is Giving Peaceful People the Implements of War Morally Worse Than Torture? (0.00 / 0)

Are you kidding?

You really believe the Vietnam War, which was that epsiode was basically endorsing, was less morally offensive than the torture policies of the Bush Administration, which 24 endorses?

Over 58,000 American soldiers died in Vietnam. 1.1 million Vietnamese, according the Vietnamese government. 1.5-2 million died in Laos after the war was over. There's nothing noble about war. People die. By the thousands.

You give me a moral choice between ending war and ending torture, I'm ending war every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

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by: ecotect @ Sat May 09, 2009 at 19:48:49 PM CDT

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Insight (0.00 / 0)

Well  ecotect the link that you provided, describes what Kirk did this way:

"The Hill People are at war with the Villagers, who have been taught to make guns for nearly a year by the Klingon Empire, in violation of its peace treaty with the Federation. To balance the Klingons' aid to the Villagers, Kirk teaches the Hill People to use firearms as well, but he realizes he has introduced the serpent into the garden of Eden."

(Actually the Klingons had already "introduced the serpent into the garden of Eden")

http://trekguide.com/padd/tos4...

Sooo, basically you are arguing that helping the "Hill People" defend themselves from being slaughtered is morally worse than torture? Really ??

Well, at least this has given me some small insight into the thinking of a Jack Bauer fan.

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by: Katie @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 01:10:16 AM CDT

[ Parent | ]