Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site mcnc.mcnc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!gatech!akgua!mcnc!omo From: omo@mcnc.UUCP (Julie Omohundro) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.flame Subject: Re: American Hostages Message-ID: <726@mcnc.mcnc.UUCP> Date: Sun, 18-Aug-85 21:20:21 EDT Article-I.D.: mcnc.726 Posted: Sun Aug 18 21:20:21 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 20-Aug-85 07:17:42 EDT References: <1042@ihlpg.UUCP> <185@pyuxii.UUCP> <11045@rochester.UUCP> <1399@uwmacc.UUCP> <333@SCIRTP.UUCP> Organization: Microelectronics Center of NC; RTP, NC Lines: 53 Xref: linus net.politics:9847 net.flame:10690 On Americans in war zones deserving what they get: I can sort of see your point, but I find this attitude bothersome, because it seems to echo statments I heard in the 50s and 60s about how blacks who got beaten up for trying to enter all-white establishments or segregated schools were getting their just deserts. Also statements then and now about women wearing provocative clothing or walking alone at night deserving to get raped. Do you also agree with these statements? Or do you perceive some real difference between principles that I'm not sure I do? Also, there seems to be an assumption that all Americans traveling or living in politically unstable areas are just tourists on a frivolous lark (for some, a wicked sin apparently, punishable by any barbarian torture popular with local insurgents that week). A substantial number of these people are involved in efforts to ameliorate the poverty and suffering of the local populations (Remember them? The ones everyone's been so concerned about in recent postings?) Whether their efforts meet with your approval or not, you must recognize that these people are knowingly exposing themselves to danger in order to help others. Although I myself hardly qualify for the do-gooder category (I'm safe at my little terminal, aren't I?), I can't see that these people deserve anything but respect and, should their efforts bring them harm, deepest sympathy. I would certainly extend this to the Marine who died at the Beirut airport, and I would never even momentarily consider serving in any branch of the armed forces, anywhere, anytime. In my own belief system, the fellow was a fool for joining up in the first place. But even fools don't `deserve' to have their hands tied behind their backs to be beaten, have their kneecaps broken, and then be shot and their bodies dumped out on a tarmack. Also, he wasn't functioning in MY belief system, he had his own. I don't see how we're ever going to get anywhere with anything if we can't learn the simple lesson that we're all in this stupid thing together (life, etc), and most of us are doing the best we can under circumstances as we perceive them, and that EVERYONE's perception is woefully lacking, so you better give the other guy his due. I should add that my perception of these and similar attitudes is that the people holding them can't deal with the randomness of death and disaster and want very badly to believe that, if they do everything just right, nothing bad will happen. Or, similarly, that they are just as distressed when these tragedies happen to others, and they are helpless to prevent them. So they want to find cause, lay blame, or find fault (the `If Only...' Syndrome). But bad things happen, sometimes without rhyme or reason. Nobody deserves it.