[extropy-chat] POLITICS: terrorism and strategies

[Acy James Stapp]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote:
> Instead we are content to sit on our hands and ignore "passive"
> destruction of life which significantly exceeds in all
> probability some planned "active" destruction of life (which some
> so strongly object to).  I.e.  "Oh don't mind me -- I'm just
> guilty of the sins of omission rather than sins of commission...".

You are neglecting a few factors that insure that your proposed
solutions will be never be implemented.

Firstly, *people* are going to have to perform these acts.
Someone has to push the button, and pushing that button would
most likely be percieved as a war crime. It's much harder to
be personally prosecuted for a sin of omission than a sin of
comission.

Simple self-preservation will ensure that those with the 
capability to achieve your solutions will never do so.
It's pretty hard to coverup a gigantic nuclear explosion;
and public opinion world-wide would be massively brought to
bear against someone commiting such an act.

If, given certain knowledge that Hitler (or some other abominable 
historical figure) was going to commit massive genocide, you were 
able to go back in time and assasinate him before he could 
cause any damage [1], would you? Assume that you personally
would be caught, tried, and executed. Would you pull the trigger?

Acy

[1] Neglecting the geopolitical situation at the time, which
might have brought someone equally despicable to power.