Comments on: Just Following Orders, part 2 http://candorville.com/2009/05/05/just-following-orders-part-2/ Challenging the Law of Gravitas since 1993 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:28:04 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Robert http://candorville.com/2009/05/05/just-following-orders-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-3421 Robert Tue, 05 May 2009 23:15:42 +0000 http://candorville.com/?p=2008#comment-3421 There are two rarely examined issues around the Japanese treatment of Allied POWs in WWII. One is that the Japanese military at the time believed surrendering to be disgraceful; their soldiers would typically fight to the death rather than surrender when faced with overwhelming odds. As a result, they held enemy soldiers who surrendered to _them_ in contempt. I am not saying this to defend their behavior - rather, it shows how dehumanizing your enemy makes it easier to behave inhumanely toward them. Also, they were absolutely convinced, right up until the very end, that they would win, and therefore not be held to account before the world for their conduct during the war. Now, does THAT ever sound familiar. . . There are two rarely examined issues around the Japanese treatment of Allied POWs in WWII. One is that the Japanese military at the time believed surrendering to be disgraceful; their soldiers would typically fight to the death rather than surrender when faced with overwhelming odds. As a result, they held enemy soldiers who surrendered to _them_ in contempt. I am not saying this to defend their behavior – rather, it shows how dehumanizing your enemy makes it easier to behave inhumanely toward them. Also, they were absolutely convinced, right up until the very end, that they would win, and therefore not be held to account before the world for their conduct during the war.

Now, does THAT ever sound familiar. . .

]]> By: Ken http://candorville.com/2009/05/05/just-following-orders-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-3420 Ken Tue, 05 May 2009 23:03:41 +0000 http://candorville.com/?p=2008#comment-3420 I enjoy the reasoning that what we do is "good" as long as we can cite someone who behaves worse than we do. Here's a good general rule of thumb: if you're acting anything like the people you accuse of "atrocities" you're probably an atrocious person. I enjoy the reasoning that what we do is “good” as long as we can cite someone who behaves worse than we do.
Here’s a good general rule of thumb: if you’re acting anything like the people you accuse of “atrocities” you’re probably an atrocious person.

]]> By: Brian http://candorville.com/2009/05/05/just-following-orders-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-3418 Brian Tue, 05 May 2009 19:22:05 +0000 http://candorville.com/?p=2008#comment-3418 I appreciated the cartoon, the Olbermann link, and your well-reasoned response to the inane comment. I especially like the guy with the mouthful of cigarettes: "Mfmn!" I appreciated the cartoon, the Olbermann link, and your well-reasoned response to the inane comment. I especially like the guy with the mouthful of cigarettes: "Mfmn!"

]]> By: PeaceZGood http://candorville.com/2009/05/05/just-following-orders-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-3417 PeaceZGood Tue, 05 May 2009 18:15:42 +0000 http://candorville.com/?p=2008#comment-3417 Wow. Didn't know that. People in glass houses shoudn't throw stones, so it is said. I guess our country was doing that. I guess Bush didn't read the Bible; OT: DON'T do unto others what you don't want done to you; NT: DO unto others as you want them to do to you. Wow. Didn't know that. People in glass houses shoudn't throw stones, so it is said. I guess our country was doing that. I guess Bush didn't read the Bible; OT: DON'T do unto others what you don't want done to you; NT: DO unto others as you want them to do to you.

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