The usual suspects are shocked (shocked!) by the latest video atrocity. It seems that the corpses of once-living people have been treated disrespectfully. Worse, the disrespect was captured on video. Spluttering sanctimony, hand-wringing and some vindictive prosecutions should set things to rights.
To me, there appears to be a very sharp breakdown in the logical process. Without imperial invasion, there are far fewer corpses. Without corpses at hand, there is far less disrespectful treatment of them. For all the laws passed and moral injunctions conveyed, there doesn't appear to be any way around these simple facts.
Update: IOZ weighs in, with a link to a fine post by Rob Payne.
Update II: Maybe the moral outrage could be soothed with some additional euphemism. I'd like to help. Instead of killing, use kinetic deprecation, and instead of urinating on corpses, use sanitary insensitivity.
Comments (2)
Yes, this reminds me of the wisdom my grandfather long ago imparted. I am paraphrasing only slightly: If you don't want men to pee on Afghan corpses, do not send them to Afghanistan.
Posted by chomskyzinn | January 12, 2012 11:04 AM
Posted on January 12, 2012 11:04
Your grandfather got it right.
My preferred policy for these 'outrages to morality' is an immediate honorable discharge for the offenders. No prosecutions, no public shaming and no further imperial duty.
Posted by Al Schumann | January 12, 2012 11:31 AM
Posted on January 12, 2012 11:31