philippos42 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
philippos42) wrote2010-07-31 06:52 pm
philippos42) wrote2010-07-31 06:52 pm
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http://theferrett.livejournal.com/1484678.html
"I'm gonna buy a machine gun to kill all of these mosquitoes in my back yard."
"Um... It doesn't seem like shooting mosquitoes with a machine gun would actually get rid of mosquitoes. And it would be dangerous for - "
"YOU STUPID MOSQUITO LOVER! DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM? WHY ARE YOU GETTING IN MY WAY?!"
This is pretty much every political debate in America right now. Sadly.
Kind of reminds me of the Afghan war debate.
On one side we have the peaceniks who are against the war 'cos it's a war.
On another side we have those who want to do something to keep Afghanistan civilized & not under the rule of woman-oppressing religious extremists.
On yet another side (overlapping & similar) we have those who want to keep Afghanistan civilized so that no one from al-Qaeda can use it as a base for attacks against the West.
On yet another side we have a fear of cutting & running.
On yet another side we have those who are (or would be if they had a shot) looking for a way to profit from USA involvement in Afghanistan.
And then there are those who worry that we're backing the wrong people. I hear that women are being killed for being feminist now, & not just in territory held by our enemies. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rethink-afghanistan/debunking-the-myths-about_b_230740.html
If we could agree on what we wanted to do, we could plan for how to do it. But we don't really agree, so the great elephant of the operation proceeds forward while the men on its back shrug.
More & more I see why previous generations thought democracy too stupid too pursue.
"I'm gonna buy a machine gun to kill all of these mosquitoes in my back yard."
"Um... It doesn't seem like shooting mosquitoes with a machine gun would actually get rid of mosquitoes. And it would be dangerous for - "
"YOU STUPID MOSQUITO LOVER! DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM? WHY ARE YOU GETTING IN MY WAY?!"
This is pretty much every political debate in America right now. Sadly.
Kind of reminds me of the Afghan war debate.
On one side we have the peaceniks who are against the war 'cos it's a war.
On another side we have those who want to do something to keep Afghanistan civilized & not under the rule of woman-oppressing religious extremists.
On yet another side (overlapping & similar) we have those who want to keep Afghanistan civilized so that no one from al-Qaeda can use it as a base for attacks against the West.
On yet another side we have a fear of cutting & running.
On yet another side we have those who are (or would be if they had a shot) looking for a way to profit from USA involvement in Afghanistan.
And then there are those who worry that we're backing the wrong people. I hear that women are being killed for being feminist now, & not just in territory held by our enemies. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rethink-afghanistan/debunking-the-myths-about_b_230740.html
If we could agree on what we wanted to do, we could plan for how to do it. But we don't really agree, so the great elephant of the operation proceeds forward while the men on its back shrug.
More & more I see why previous generations thought democracy too stupid too pursue.