Questions to ask ourselves
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From Australia....
Questions to ask ourselves
By Hugh Mackay
February 1 2003
'Dad, what's a just war?"
"Not now, sweetheart, I'm busy. Can we talk later?"
"But you said if I ever needed to ask you anything ..."
"OK, OK. What's the question?"
"A just war. How can any war be 'just'?"
"Ah. Yes. Good question. How did this come up, sweetheart?"
"You know, like, Iraq and everything? I heard someone on television - a
bishop, I think he was - saying there is such a thing as a just war. Did he
mean a holy war?"
"Well, no, not exactly. A holy war is when people fight over their religious
beliefs. When they think they really have God on their side."
"But if they are fighting each other over religion, wouldn't they all think
God was on their side?"
"Absolutely, sweetheart. That's exactly what happens in a holy war. But it's
rather silly describing any war as holy - war is ugly, brutal, violent and
repressive, and holiness is supposed to be about the opposite of all those
things. Anyway, history shows us that war is a completely futile way of
trying
to settle conflicts. Some time in the future, I'm sure people will look back
and wonder how humans could have been so stupid as to go to war over
anything.
No one ever really wins, but a lot of people suffer and the result never
turns
out quite the way anyone intended. Never."
"So you're against war?"
"Everyone's against war, angel. How could anyone be in favour of killing each
other and destroying each other's cities and towns? You think war is about
soldiers, but innocent civilians, even children, are always killed in wars.
Of
course I'm against war ... aren't you?"
"So are you, like, a pacifist?"
"Well, no, not exactly, although part of me would like to be. I admire
pacifists, but I think there are times when there really is no alternative to
fighting."
"So that's what people mean by a just war?"
"I guess so. A just war is when you have to defend yourself because someone
has attacked you. Or when a friendly country is attacked and its leaders ask
you to help them defend themselves."
"So if America attacks Iraq and Iraq defends itself, that wouldn't be a just
war for America, but it would be for Iraq. And if Iraq asks one of its
friends
to help it defend itself against America, that would be a just war for the
other country, right?"
"It's not quite that simple, I'm afraid. There are such things as good guys
and bad guys, sweetheart. Saddam Hussein is a bad guy, so we don't think
anyone would be justified in defending him."
"But if he doesn't attack anyone, how can invading his country be a just war?
According to you, invading another country would always be wrong."
"Well, usually, but, see, everyone thinks Saddam has these really awful
weapons ..."
"Worse than America's?"
"Not worse, no. But, well, because he's a bad guy, people think he might
decide to use those weapons against some other country some day, so America
wants to invade his country and destroy the weapons before he can use them."
"Has he threatened to use them? Like, who does he want to attack?"
"He hasn't actually threatened to use them against anyone in particular -
except the Americans, of course, if they invade his country."
"And us? Aren't we going to invade Iraq, too? We sent some soldiers off last
week. I saw that on TV, too."
"No-one really knows, sweetheart. We mightn't actually be planning to invade.
We might be just trying to scare Saddam into giving up his weapons. We might
be calling his bluff."
"But if he isn't planning to attack anyone, wouldn't that mean Saddam won't
use his weapons unless he has to defend Iraq against an attack? So wouldn't
attacking him be the best way of making sure he does use his weapons?"
"That's logical, but I guess our Government must think there's a huge risk he
will use them on, on ... on someone else if we don't get in first."
"Our life skills teacher said the end never justifies the means. Was she
wrong?"
"I don't know, honey, I really don't know."
"By the way, whatever happened to Osama bin Laden? I thought he was supposed
to be the world's No.1 bad guy. Is Saddam even worse?"
"They're both pretty bad. They're terrorists, see? They both place a low
value
on human life."
"Hmm. Dad, are we still holding little children behind razor wire in those
detention centres?"
"We are, sweetheart."
"So are we good guys or bad guys?"
"Good guys, definitely. No more questions, OK?"
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Questions to ask ourselves
By Hugh Mackay
February 1 2003
'Dad, what's a just war?"
"Not now, sweetheart, I'm busy. Can we talk later?"
"But you said if I ever needed to ask you anything ..."
"OK, OK. What's the question?"
"A just war. How can any war be 'just'?"
"Ah. Yes. Good question. How did this come up, sweetheart?"
"You know, like, Iraq and everything? I heard someone on television - a
bishop, I think he was - saying there is such a thing as a just war. Did he
mean a holy war?"
"Well, no, not exactly. A holy war is when people fight over their religious
beliefs. When they think they really have God on their side."
"But if they are fighting each other over religion, wouldn't they all think
God was on their side?"
"Absolutely, sweetheart. That's exactly what happens in a holy war. But it's
rather silly describing any war as holy - war is ugly, brutal, violent and
repressive, and holiness is supposed to be about the opposite of all those
things. Anyway, history shows us that war is a completely futile way of
trying
to settle conflicts. Some time in the future, I'm sure people will look back
and wonder how humans could have been so stupid as to go to war over
anything.
No one ever really wins, but a lot of people suffer and the result never
turns
out quite the way anyone intended. Never."
"So you're against war?"
"Everyone's against war, angel. How could anyone be in favour of killing each
other and destroying each other's cities and towns? You think war is about
soldiers, but innocent civilians, even children, are always killed in wars.
Of
course I'm against war ... aren't you?"
"So are you, like, a pacifist?"
"Well, no, not exactly, although part of me would like to be. I admire
pacifists, but I think there are times when there really is no alternative to
fighting."
"So that's what people mean by a just war?"
"I guess so. A just war is when you have to defend yourself because someone
has attacked you. Or when a friendly country is attacked and its leaders ask
you to help them defend themselves."
"So if America attacks Iraq and Iraq defends itself, that wouldn't be a just
war for America, but it would be for Iraq. And if Iraq asks one of its
friends
to help it defend itself against America, that would be a just war for the
other country, right?"
"It's not quite that simple, I'm afraid. There are such things as good guys
and bad guys, sweetheart. Saddam Hussein is a bad guy, so we don't think
anyone would be justified in defending him."
"But if he doesn't attack anyone, how can invading his country be a just war?
According to you, invading another country would always be wrong."
"Well, usually, but, see, everyone thinks Saddam has these really awful
weapons ..."
"Worse than America's?"
"Not worse, no. But, well, because he's a bad guy, people think he might
decide to use those weapons against some other country some day, so America
wants to invade his country and destroy the weapons before he can use them."
"Has he threatened to use them? Like, who does he want to attack?"
"He hasn't actually threatened to use them against anyone in particular -
except the Americans, of course, if they invade his country."
"And us? Aren't we going to invade Iraq, too? We sent some soldiers off last
week. I saw that on TV, too."
"No-one really knows, sweetheart. We mightn't actually be planning to invade.
We might be just trying to scare Saddam into giving up his weapons. We might
be calling his bluff."
"But if he isn't planning to attack anyone, wouldn't that mean Saddam won't
use his weapons unless he has to defend Iraq against an attack? So wouldn't
attacking him be the best way of making sure he does use his weapons?"
"That's logical, but I guess our Government must think there's a huge risk he
will use them on, on ... on someone else if we don't get in first."
"Our life skills teacher said the end never justifies the means. Was she
wrong?"
"I don't know, honey, I really don't know."
"By the way, whatever happened to Osama bin Laden? I thought he was supposed
to be the world's No.1 bad guy. Is Saddam even worse?"
"They're both pretty bad. They're terrorists, see? They both place a low
value
on human life."
"Hmm. Dad, are we still holding little children behind razor wire in those
detention centres?"
"We are, sweetheart."
"So are we good guys or bad guys?"
"Good guys, definitely. No more questions, OK?"
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meghan Anderson <[email protected]>
This is excellent! Thanks Kathryn!
Meghan
Meghan
--- In [email protected], KathrynJB@a... wrote:
> From Australia....
>
> Questions to ask ourselves
> By Hugh Mackay
> February 1 2003
>
> 'Dad, what's a just war?"
>
> "Not now, sweetheart, I'm busy. Can we talk later?"
>
> "But you said if I ever needed to ask you anything ..."
>
> "OK, OK. What's the question?"
>
> "A just war. How can any war be 'just'?"
>
> "Ah. Yes. Good question. How did this come up, sweetheart?"
>
> "You know, like, Iraq and everything? I heard someone on
television - a
> bishop, I think he was - saying there is such a thing as a just
war. Did he
> mean a holy war?"
>
> "Well, no, not exactly. A holy war is when people fight over their
religious
> beliefs. When they think they really have God on their side."
>
> "But if they are fighting each other over religion, wouldn't they all
think
> God was on their side?"
>
> "Absolutely, sweetheart. That's exactly what happens in a holy
war. But it's
> rather silly describing any war as holy - war is ugly, brutal,
violent and
> repressive, and holiness is supposed to be about the opposite
of all those
> things. Anyway, history shows us that war is a completely futile
way of
> trying
> to settle conflicts. Some time in the future, I'm sure people will
look back
> and wonder how humans could have been so stupid as to go
to war over
> anything.
> No one ever really wins, but a lot of people suffer and the result
never
> turns
> out quite the way anyone intended. Never."
>
> "So you're against war?"
>
> "Everyone's against war, angel. How could anyone be in favour
of killing each
>
> other and destroying each other's cities and towns? You think
war is about
> soldiers, but innocent civilians, even children, are always killed
in wars.
> Of
> course I'm against war ... aren't you?"
>
> "So are you, like, a pacifist?"
>
> "Well, no, not exactly, although part of me would like to be. I
admire
> pacifists, but I think there are times when there really is no
alternative to
>
> fighting."
>
> "So that's what people mean by a just war?"
>
> "I guess so. A just war is when you have to defend yourself
because someone
> has attacked you. Or when a friendly country is attacked and its
leaders ask
> you to help them defend themselves."
>
> "So if America attacks Iraq and Iraq defends itself, that wouldn't
be a just
> war for America, but it would be for Iraq. And if Iraq asks one of
its
> friends
> to help it defend itself against America, that would be a just war
for the
> other country, right?"
>
> "It's not quite that simple, I'm afraid. There are such things as
good guys
> and bad guys, sweetheart. Saddam Hussein is a bad guy, so
we don't think
> anyone would be justified in defending him."
>
> "But if he doesn't attack anyone, how can invading his country
be a just war?
>
> According to you, invading another country would always be
wrong."
>
> "Well, usually, but, see, everyone thinks Saddam has these
really awful
> weapons ..."
>
> "Worse than America's?"
>
> "Not worse, no. But, well, because he's a bad guy, people think
he might
> decide to use those weapons against some other country
some day, so America
> wants to invade his country and destroy the weapons before he
can use them."
>
> "Has he threatened to use them? Like, who does he want to
attack?"
>
> "He hasn't actually threatened to use them against anyone in
particular -
> except the Americans, of course, if they invade his country."
>
> "And us? Aren't we going to invade Iraq, too? We sent some
soldiers off last
> week. I saw that on TV, too."
>
> "No-one really knows, sweetheart. We mightn't actually be
planning to invade.
>
> We might be just trying to scare Saddam into giving up his
weapons. We might
> be calling his bluff."
>
> "But if he isn't planning to attack anyone, wouldn't that mean
Saddam won't
> use his weapons unless he has to defend Iraq against an
attack? So wouldn't
> attacking him be the best way of making sure he does use his
weapons?"
>
> "That's logical, but I guess our Government must think there's
a huge risk he
>
> will use them on, on ... on someone else if we don't get in first."
>
> "Our life skills teacher said the end never justifies the means.
Was she
> wrong?"
>
> "I don't know, honey, I really don't know."
>
> "By the way, whatever happened to Osama bin Laden? I
thought he was supposed
> to be the world's No.1 bad guy. Is Saddam even worse?"
>
> "They're both pretty bad. They're terrorists, see? They both
place a low
> value
> on human life."
>
> "Hmm. Dad, are we still holding little children behind razor wire
in those
> detention centres?"
>
> "We are, sweetheart."
>
> "So are we good guys or bad guys?"
>
> "Good guys, definitely. No more questions, OK?"
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]