OMG I CANNOT believe Obama did this

[95th Rifleman]

Originally Posted by Jason

I cannot understand how any citizen of a law abiding country would refuse to celebrate the killing of the man that engineered and ordered the attacks on 9/11.

I can't understand how a law abiding citizen of a supposedly civilised western democracy could celebrate the death of anyone, no matter what their crimes.

The rule of law is such that execution is a required evil, it is not something to be celebrated or welcomed. To take visceral pleasure in another's death is to lower yourself to their inhuman depths.

I did not cheer and celebrate the death of Bin laden, I accepted that his death was a requirement to limit further bloodshed, a required act of evil to stop further, greater evil.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by 95th Rifleman

I can't understand how a law abiding citizen of a supposedly civilised western democracy could celebrate the death of anyone, no matter what their crimes.

The rule of law is such that execution is a required evil, it is not something to be celebrated or welcomed. To take visceral pleasure in another's death is to lower yourself to their inhuman depths.

I did not cheer and celebrate the death of Bin laden, I accepted that his death was a requirement to limit further bloodshed, a required act of evil to stop further, greater evil.

Celebrate does not mean to take visceral pleasure.

Originally Posted by dictionary.com

1. to observe (a day) or commemorate (an event) with ceremonies or festivities: to celebrate Christmas; to celebrate the success of a new play.

2. to make known publicly; proclaim: The newspaper celebrated the end of the war in red headlines.

3. to praise widely or to present to widespread and favorable public notice, as through newspapers or novels: a novel celebrating the joys of marriage; the countryside celebrated in the novels of Hardy.

4. to perform with appropriate rites and ceremonies; solemnize: to celebrate a marriage.

My intent in using the word celebrate was a reference to the second definition, and your suggestion that I have lowered myself to inhuman depths is a ridiculous exaggeration.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by 95th Rifleman

I can't understand how a law abiding citizen of a supposedly civilised western democracy could celebrate the death of anyone, no matter what their crimes.

The rule of law is such that execution is a required evil, it is not something to be celebrated or welcomed. To take visceral pleasure in another's death is to lower yourself to their inhuman depths.

I did not cheer and celebrate the death of Bin laden, I accepted that his death was a requirement to limit further bloodshed, a required act of evil to stop further, greater evil.

I'll grant you I spontaneously yelled when I heard the announcement that Bin Laden was dead, but it's not like I got pleasure from it. When I hear that Texas has executed another scumbag, I may think, "justice done," I'm not getting pleasure from it.

I also know the kind of scars you get on your soul when you kill someone, even when you know it was the right thing to do. A member of SEAL Team 6 or a state executioner probably has a soul that is filled with those scars. To them, well done, you're braver than I.

[Webstral]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I also know the kind of scars you get on your soul when you kill someone, even when you know it was the right thing to do. A member of SEAL Team 6 or a state executioner probably has a soul that is filled with those scars. To them, well done, you're braver than I.

I think about the guy I didn't kill. I'm sure I mentioned the incident in "Adagio for Strings". It's easy enough to press the trigger, it turns out. But a guy I could have killed saw his mom again because I didn't press the trigger, despite having all the wrong reasons for doing so. Whatever else happens, I'm not a mindless thug. I sleep a bit better knowing that.