Hello everyone
>From: "Jonathan B. Marder" <jonathan.marder@newmail.net>
>Reply-To: moq_discuss@moq.org
>To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
>Subject: RE: MD Things and levels
>Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 14:50:01 +0300
>
>Hi Dan,
>
> >PLATT
> > > Whoever initiated pysical force is at fault, regardless of how long
> > > the conflict lasts. Each side can claim it is defending itself, but
> > > only one acted in self-defense at the beginning.
> > >
> >
> >Jonathan:
> >Platt, as a resident of Israel and a father of 4 children
> >I must say that I find your approach lacking in utility.
> >
>
>DAN
> >I cannot imagine living under the constant threat of suicide bombings
>and
> >fanatical retributions and I doubt many Americans could. I say a prayer
>for
>the innocents but prayers won't stop bullets and bombs any better than
>words
> >will stop crime. I am reminded of the part in Lila where the professor
> >friend of Phaedrus is moving out of a crime-ridden neighborhood and who
>
> >explodes at Phaedrus when he asks why.
>
>Dan, it wasn't for nothing that I mentioned both Israel and my 4
>children. My kids, like all children, often squabble. As a parent, I
>know it is not always necessary or useful to identify the guilty child
>who initiated the fight. Apportioning blame is not the way to end a
>fight. Answering the fears and concerns of the adversaries is much more
>productive.
>
>Now that I have said that, you can probably guess my take on the
>Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hi Jonathan
A weakness in your analogy is we normally do not let children play with
weapons of mass destruction.
>
>I should add, that Platt incorrectly implies that self-defence follows
>an initial act of violence.
>That would be retribution or retaliation. Self defence by definition
>must PRECEDE and pre-empt a threat, and may itself be the first violent
>act.
>
>DAN
> >I feel very fortunate to live in the quiet little corner of the world I
>
> >happen to live in. I ask myself if I would stay if that quiet changed
>into
> >an atmosphere of violence and I don't have an answer to that question.
>It is
> >my home. But there are values here that make it my home, and if those
>values
> >changed somehow perhaps it would no longer feel like home at all.
> >
> >Why do you stay Jonathan?
>
>Contrary to the image given by CNN, I live a quiet life (except for the
>4 kids). The worst that I've suffered is occasionally being delayed
>while the bomb squad comes to deal with a suspicious package. On the
>positive side, the town where I live is one where my wife or teenage
>daughter can safely be out on the street alone at any time of day or
>night.
Thank you for enlightening me. You're right. The image of Israel (for me as
an American) is generally that of a State under seige. I am glad to hear
that image is incorrect.
Dan
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:01:27 BST