Sunday, May 18, 2003
Alternatives to War
Added to recommended links:
The Coalition for the International Criminal Court is a network of well over 1,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocating for a fair, effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC). http://www.iccnow.org/.
Found this site while doing a search on "Bush American Justice".
"One by one, the terrorists are learning the meaning of American justice."
-- President George W. Bush, State of the Union, 28 January 2003
"American Justice:
War, assassinations, torture, detention without trial: these should not be the hallmarks of "American justice." In the long struggle to grow democracy, freedom, and peace throughout the world, the U.S. should be building up permanent institutions that can hold tyrants accountable before they destroy their countries and decimate their people."
The two quotes above are from a text at The Coalition for the International Criminal Court.
In this text CICC lists several instances stretching back to 1980 when intervention by the International Criminal Court would have been appropriate in response to a tyrant like Saddam Hussein. If George Bush and the United States were truly interested in Justice, they would support the International Criminal Court. Resort to the International Criminal Court should become a process and habit that displaces the habit of war.
When George Bush, and many others, use the term "Justice", I feel they actually mean "vengeance" or "revenge". The confusion of justice and vengeance is a theme I intend to revisit repeatedly in this blog. Dear Reader, if you come across quotable and linkable
examples of this confusion of justice and vengeance, please email me. Especially would like to see quotes of bin Laden which reveal such confusion Osama's mind.
The BBC reported October 9, 2001 that "UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has told an Arabic television station that the US and it allies want "justice, not revenge". " The fact that he addressed the issue explicitly suggests that it is an important issue.
Justice tainted by vengeance becomes injustice. Injustice drives cycles of violence. On a spiritual plane, justice can only be sought in the interests of others, or even the adversary, and not for ego. Ego inevitably converts justice to vengeance, and thus to injustice. This is why issues of injury and injustice must be turned over to impartial courts, judges, and juries rather than being pursued directly by ego.
Added to recommended links:
The Coalition for the International Criminal Court is a network of well over 1,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocating for a fair, effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC). http://www.iccnow.org/.
Found this site while doing a search on "Bush American Justice".
"One by one, the terrorists are learning the meaning of American justice."
-- President George W. Bush, State of the Union, 28 January 2003
"American Justice:
War, assassinations, torture, detention without trial: these should not be the hallmarks of "American justice." In the long struggle to grow democracy, freedom, and peace throughout the world, the U.S. should be building up permanent institutions that can hold tyrants accountable before they destroy their countries and decimate their people."
The two quotes above are from a text at The Coalition for the International Criminal Court.
In this text CICC lists several instances stretching back to 1980 when intervention by the International Criminal Court would have been appropriate in response to a tyrant like Saddam Hussein. If George Bush and the United States were truly interested in Justice, they would support the International Criminal Court. Resort to the International Criminal Court should become a process and habit that displaces the habit of war.
When George Bush, and many others, use the term "Justice", I feel they actually mean "vengeance" or "revenge". The confusion of justice and vengeance is a theme I intend to revisit repeatedly in this blog. Dear Reader, if you come across quotable and linkable
examples of this confusion of justice and vengeance, please email me. Especially would like to see quotes of bin Laden which reveal such confusion Osama's mind.
The BBC reported October 9, 2001 that "UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has told an Arabic television station that the US and it allies want "justice, not revenge". " The fact that he addressed the issue explicitly suggests that it is an important issue.
Justice tainted by vengeance becomes injustice. Injustice drives cycles of violence. On a spiritual plane, justice can only be sought in the interests of others, or even the adversary, and not for ego. Ego inevitably converts justice to vengeance, and thus to injustice. This is why issues of injury and injustice must be turned over to impartial courts, judges, and juries rather than being pursued directly by ego.
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