Why our associations matter

[Geo]

Answer this one honestly, if after 911 Obama had flown all the Saudis, including members of the bin Laden family, out of the country would that be an issue?

You don't have to preface each question with "answer honestly"- as if I would have answered any other way had you not said the magic words...



I would have found it odd and questioned it if Obama would have flown any of the Bin Ladens out of the country (no differently than I do for Bush)...

 

[Geo]

so does the above statement mean you agree with his actions?

Presuming you mean-

Do I agree with Ayers bombing the Pentagon?

No, of course not. But I view that act during that time- nearly half a century ago- differently than I would if someone did it now.

 

[destindreamer]

Presuming you mean-

Do I agree with Ayers bombing the Pentagon?

No, of course not. But I view that act during that time- nearly half a century ago- differently than I would if someone did it now.

how would it be different?

 

[idlewind]

Answer this one honestly, if after 911 Obama had flown all the Saudis, including members of the bin Laden family, out of the country would that be an issue?

You will have to refresh my memory on what you are refering to, but if anyone flew bin Laden anywhere but to H***, I would have an issue with it.

 

[idlewind]

Presuming you mean-

Do I agree with Ayers bombing the Pentagon?

No, of course not. But I view that act during that time- nearly half a century ago- differently than I would if someone did it now.

At the end of the day, bombing is bombing. Regardless of whether you agree with the underlying issue or not, it is still wrong at the core to bomb someone else's property. I have no problem condemning someone for consorting with clinic bombers, I just don't understand why you can't see the wrong on the other side.

Didn't mean to question your honesty man, just a figure of speech.

 

[Geo]

how would it be different?

Because the culture and political climate were completely different then...

It was a very revolutionary time when Ayers did what he did...

I judge all kinds of acts that would seem outrageous if committed today differently if they were committed 45 years ago...

Some silly examples-

Women who smoked during their pregnancy inside a restaurant while drinking alcohol...

Parents who disciplined their toddlers using a wooden spoon in the front seat of a moving car without proper use of seatbelts (the parents) or car seats (the children)...

Professors who handed out LSD to students...

You get the point- things were different back then.

 

[poppy]

You don't have to preface each question with "answer honestly"- as if I would have answered any other way had you not said the magic words...



I would have found it odd and questioned it if Obama would have flown any of the Bin Ladens out of the country (no differently than I do for Bush)...

Geo, I was asking idlewind, not you. I know you would answer honestly.

 

[poppy]

You will have to refresh my memory on what you are refering to, but if anyone flew bin Laden anywhere but to H***, I would have an issue with it.

The flights immediately after 911 when all other air traffic was halted.(although this isn't entirely true)

 

[destindreamer]

Because the culture and political climate was completely different then...

It was a very revolutionary time when Ayers did what he did...

I judge all kinds of acts that would seem outrageous if committed today differently if they were committed 45 years ago...

Some silly examples-

Women who smoked during their pregnancy inside a restaurant while drinking alcohol...

Parents who disciplined their toddlers using a wooden spoon in the front seat of a moving car without proper use of seatbelts (the parents) or car seats (the children)...

Professors who handed out LSD to students...

You get the point- things were different back then.

Looks to me like your rationalizing. I still judge the act of killing, whether today or 45 years ago, as killing.

 

[Geo]

Looks to me like your rationalizing. I still judge the act of killing, whether today or 45 years ago, as killing.

Yes. I am rationalizing.

Here are some better ones for you-

I judge someone who kills another human being during war differently than I do someone who kills another human being during a robbery or drug deal...

I judge a doctor who killed immovable quadrapalegic patients during the madness and chaos of Katrina 5 minutes before their nursing home flooded differently than I do if it was on a typical day and was done for evil purposes...

These are rationalizations...

I do not condone what Ayers did. Bombing people or government property is illegal and wrong. But I see it differently given its true context- the revolutionary period of the Vietnam War. And as such- I am not troubled by the "association". Ayers did what he did. This is undeniable. But during the time Obama "associated" with him Ayers was a professor at a prestigious local university, he was living in Obama's neighborhood and he served on numerous boards of respected organizations advocating education. Ayers did the bad things when Obama was 4 years old.