• FishFace@piefed.social
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    7 days ago

    Well, I know that and agree it’s bad but don’t think it’s as bad still, for the simple reason that I think that, if it is true that someone is planning to commit terrorism, it may be justified to kill them, if other methods of preventing them are not practical.

    Drug smuggling doesn’t pass even that test. If you can’t prevent drugs getting smuggled into your country without killing the smugglers tough shit, accept that there will be drugs in your country and do your best to deal with that. That’s true, I think, even if you think that drugs should be illegal.

    So to me that makes a big difference.

    • Long LIve Luigi @lemmy.ml
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      6 days ago

      You are missing the point. The people put on either list have never been accused of anything in a court of law. They were never indicted. They have no way to get off those lists. There is no due process and no congressional oversight. The executive branch decided they should die, so they died. End of story.

      It started in the Middle East with Islamic terrorism. It is currently in Latin America being called narco terrorism. You can see it already happening in the US with peaceful protesters and those who use encription online. There is no difference. It is all equally bad. What Obama did was the exact same thing in the same way as what Trump is doing.

      The next guy, regardless of the color of his tie, will be more than willing to use this unified executive theory product in even more disgusting ways. And for that, we can all say, “Thanks, Obama!”

      • FishFace@piefed.social
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        6 days ago

        I’m not “missing the point”. I understand that point. I agree the aspect you point out is the same between both phenomena, and that it is really bad.

        I just disagree that each phenomenon is “equally bad” because of the differences which I have pointed out. They are not “exactly the same” because they share some important things in common.

        Can you re-read my previous two comments, look at the sentences and which I point out differences, and say whether you agree that they are differences or not? If you agree that they are differences, perhaps you could change your characterisation of the situation from “they are exactly the same” to “they are not exactly the same, but I think that they are so similar that there is no discernible moral difference.”

        Then we will be disagreeing over the relative moral importance of different factors, and can leave the conversation having understood each other.

        • Long LIve Luigi @lemmy.ml
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          6 days ago

          Here is a quote from you about Obama’s kill list and signature drone strike policies: “If it is true that someone is planning to commit terrorism, it may be justified to kill them, if other methods of preventing them are not practical.” *You are focusing on terror versus narcoterror. This is missing the point. *

          Obama’s kill list and signature drone strike policies did not include any due process to determine if there was any planning to commit terrorism, making the killings completely unjustified. In the case of signature strikes, the person’s identity would be unknown, and their behavior would be boiled down to where they were in the world, their gender, and their perceived age, so nothing about their behavior at all.

          *You are ignoring the process by which someone is targeted, which is the entire point. *

          • FishFace@piefed.social
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            6 days ago

            which is the entire point.

            I have given you ample opportunity to explain why that is not just a point but the entire point as you claim, or else to accept that there is some room for disagreement about what is or isn’t included in the point, and you haven’t taken it. There’s therefore no point in discussing this with you; goodbye. I hope you learn to converse in a more productive manner.

            • Long LIve Luigi @lemmy.ml
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              6 days ago

              Wow you really don’t like it when someone quotes you, do you? haha

              I didn’t realize I had to explain why due process is important. You see, little Billy, when anyone can punish you (in these cases, execute you) for anything without proving it, accusing you, or even knowing who you are, then it doesn’t matter what crime you are accused of. Justice becomes a fascist tool to be used against anyone who is not in the good graces of those wielding the power.

              You can see then that it matters not if Trump calls them narcoterrorists or if Obama calls them terrorists. Or if the next guy decides jaywalking justifies that force. If there is no due process, the crime is immaterial, regardless of what it is.

              I hope you learn why due process is essential.

              • FishFace@piefed.social
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                6 days ago

                Fuck, I forgot to turn off notifications for the comment.

                I actually love when someone quotes me. I really don’t like it when someone ignores what I’m saying I agree and disagree with, though. You’re (still) doing that, because I said:

                I agree that aspect [lack of due process] … is really bad.

                but now you’re trying to explain, sarcastically, why due process is important. If you think you “have to explain why due process is important” to me, your reading comprehension is shit.

                I’m only explaining all of this to you in more detail because your reply was obnoxious and I have a personality flaw which prevents me from ignoring obnoxious comments that I have read; I’m now going to disable notifications so your next obnoxious comment doesn’t trigger that reflex. Here’s a challenge, since I’m not going to see your reply: instead of replying, try to understand what it is that you have so far failed to.

                I hope you learn why reading and understanding people you’re replying to is essential.