Showing posts with label just war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label just war. Show all posts

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Paris, Evil, and Love




(From Anne Sophie Chaisemartin/AP, via New York Daily News, used w/o permission.)
("Victims of a shooting attack lay on the pavement outside La Belle Equipe restaurant in Paris Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. Well over 100 people were killed in Paris on Friday night in a series of shooting, explosions."
(New York Daily News))

I've read that Friday's attacks in Paris are the fault of right-wing hate-mongers, that America's president is to blame — — — and the American election is still nearly a year off. I am not looking forward to the usual self-serving balderdash.

Death and Assumptions



(From Philippe Wojazer/Reuter, used w/o permission.)
("A general view of the scene that shows the covered bodies outside a restaurant following a shooting incident in Paris, France, November 13, 2015."
(Reuters))

It's only a matter of time before 'all Muslims are terrorists' ponies get their moments of fame; while another lot will blame America, France, or their political foes.

I don't doubt that folks who blame Muslims, Jews, Catholics, blacks, or other 'foreigners' for their troubles are sincere. That doesn't make them right. (June 21, 2015; September 11, 2014)

I am pretty sure that Muslims who blame France, America, and Western civilization for their problems are sincere, too.

But the grand imam of Al-Azhar called Friday's attack "odious," Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb said it was "heinous," and Saudi King Salman called it "repugnant."1

Not all Muslims, or Christians, are alike.

It looks like 137 folks died in the attacks: including eight attackers.2

I've gotten the impression that ISIS, whose leaders claim responsibility for Friday's attacks, doesn't approve of today's world.

I don't, either. I'd better explain that.

Change and the Status Quo



(From Philippe Wojaze/Reuters, used w/o permission.)
("French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, November 13, 2015."
(Reuters))

I'm not among those who apparently think the world was fine in the 'good old days' before 1954, or some other imagined golden age. (August 30, 2015; July 13, 2014)

Today's world, my country included, has problems. But as I've said before, I remember the 'good old days:' and they weren't.

Like I said last week, I'm part of a literally καθολικός, universal, outfit: not tied to one time, place, or culture. (November 8, 2015)

My job as a Catholic layman is not desperately clinging to customs and attitudes that won't work any more: and never worked as well as some imagine.

Part of my job is finding or making ways to permeate "social, political, and economic realities with the demands of Christian doctrine and life." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 899)

That is emphatically not the same as trying to restore the world of "Leave it to Beaver." (May 3, 2015)

Accepting the way things are isn't an option. I can't change the world, not on my own: but I can keep talking about respecting humanity's "transcendent dignity," our "dignity as persons," and "human solidarity." (Catechism, 1928-1942, 2419-2442)

Terrorism and Legitimate Defense



(From Philippe Wojazer/Reuters, used w/o permission.)
("A French policeman assists a blood-covered victim near the Bataclan concert hall following attacks in Paris...."
(Reuters))

This may seem 'judgmental,' but terrorism is wrong. The same goes for kidnapping and torture. (Catechism, 2297)

Maybe you heard that 'Christian' rulers sometimes indulged in that sort of thing. It's true. Catholic pastors, sadly, sometimes did not protest these actions: and sometimes committed the same crimes. It's still wrong. (Catechism, 2297-2298)

Getting back to what's been happening in France, the French president seems disinclined to 'give peace a chance,' and do what ISIS wants.

I think it would be nice if ISIS and similar outfits would start acting nice if someone asked them politely. But I am quite sure that asking politely would not work.

ISIS and like-minded organizations have been quite willing to kill folks whose chief offense is having fun — or otherwise offending the sensibilities of ISIS. That is not acceptable.

Since being alive is preferable to being dead, we are allowed to defend ourselves. This principle, applied to outfits like nations, is called just war. (Catechism, 2307-2309)

I've been over this before. (August 24, 2014)

Evil



(From AFP, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
("Rescuers evacuate people following one of the attacks"
(BBC News))

I've mentioned this bit of dialog before: (May 23, 2012)
Kevin:
"Yes, why does there have to be evil?"

Supreme Being:
"I think it has something to do with free will."
("Time Bandits" (1981) via IMDB.com)
Oddly enough, that snarky line about free will is pretty close to the truth.

Sin, evil, is deciding to act — or not act — in a way that hurts someone: me, or anyone else. Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and God. It is failing to love. (Catechism, 1849-1850)

I'm human, so I'm a rational creature: able to decide what I do, or don't do. I can decide that I'll just 'go with the flow,' and act as whim and emotions dictate: but that's a decision, too. Either way, I'm responsible for what I decide. (Catechism, 1730-1738)

God doesn't 'make' anyone do bad things. But like I said: each of us has free will. I can decide that I'll hurt — or help — someone. It's my choice. Making good choices isn't easy, since the first of us made a really bad decision. (Catechism, 385-389, 396-409)

I've talked about original sin before. It's not the notion that God botched our design. (September 27, 2015)

Love



(From sporki, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)
(World Youth Day 2000.)

I'm Catholic, so I must believe that human beings are people: all humans, no matter who our ancestors are, where we live, what we look like, or how old we are. (Catechism, 357, 361, 369-370, 1700, 1730, 1929, 2273-2274, 2276-2279)

We have equal dignity, but we're not all alike: and we're not supposed to be. (Catechism, 33, 366, 1934-1938, 2232, 2393)

That's easy to say when life is copacetic, not so much when your city has been attacked:
"...Faced with the violence of men, may we receive the grace of a firm heart, without hatred. May the moderation, temperance and control that has been shown so far, be confirmed in the weeks and months to come; let no one indulge in panic or hatred. We ask that grace be the artisan of peace. We need never despair of peace if we build on justice."
"(Cardinal Vingt-Trois of Paris, via Vatican Radio)

"...In a telephone interview on Saturday with the Italian Bishops' Conference official television network – TV2000 – Pope Francis said the attacks are 'not human.'

" 'I am close to the people of France, to the families of the victims, and I am praying for all of them,' Pope Francis said. 'I am moved and I am saddened. I do not understand, these things hard to understand.'...

"When asked if this is part of the 'piecemeal Third World War' the Holy Father has mentioned many times before, Pope Francis said 'this is a piece of it,' adding 'there is no religious or human justification for it.'..."
(Pope Francis, via Vatican Radio)
I put longer excerpts at the end of this post. 3

By the time you read this, the Pope's statement that the attacks are "not human" may have morphed into "the attackers are not human" — which is not the same idea at all.

Folks have a knack for embellishing, or distorting, what they hear. Scrambled messages are fun in a telephone game: and that's another topic.

I keep saying this: I must love God, love my neighbor, see everybody as my neighbor, and treat others as I want to be treated. (Matthew 5:43-44, 7:12, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 10:25-27, 29-37; Catechism, 1789)

That's not easy, particularly when my neighbor does something profoundly repugnant: like killing folks at a rock concert.

But despite how I feel at the moment, the eight dead attackers in Paris are human beings: people. So are those who convinced them that killing innocent folks in Paris was a good idea.

My love of neighbor must not be an easy-going indifference, or unthinking approval. "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" may be a half-forgotten cliche, but the principle is still valid. (October 12, 2014; August 24, 2014)

At the moment I don't feel very "loving" toward ISIS leaders, and those who have decided to follow them. I'd be concerned if I did. Their actions are most emphatically not what human beings are supposed to do.

Doing what is right is easier when my emotions are in sync with my reason: but "...conscience is a law of the mind...." I've got brains, and I'm expected to think. (Catechism, 1762-1775, 1776)

Actually, I don't feel much of anything at the moment. Experience tells me that I've most likely shunted emotional responses to the non-conscious parts of my mind. It's late Saturday night as I write this, early Sunday, actually: I could have very interesting dreams later on.

I'm forgetting something. What was it? Paris. Death. Evil. Love. Right.

ISIS leaders apparently want to set up a global Islamic state: where ISIS-style Islam is enforced. (Wikipedia)

I've run into a few Christians, some of them Catholic, who apparently feel the same way about their notion of Christianity. What can I say? Some of us do not understand our faith. We're still cleaning up the mess Charlemagne made at Verden. (August 9, 2015)

Even if I had the power to make others believe as I do, I couldn't do it. As a Catholic, I must support religious freedom: for everyone. And that's yet again another topic. (Catechism, 1738, 2104-2109)

More about making sense in a big world:
1 Muslim responses to the November 13, 2014, attacks:
"UK Muslim Council: Nothing Islamic about killers"
The Times of Israel (November 14, 2015)
"...The council says that while the Islamic State group is claiming responsibility for the attack, 'there is nothing Islamic about such people and their actions are evil, and outside the boundaries set by our faith.'..."

"Égypte: le grand imam de la mosquée Al-Azhar condamne des 'attaques odieuses' à Paris"
Jeune Afrique (14 novembre 2015)
"Le grand imam de la mosquée Al-Azhar, prestigieuse institution de l'islam sunnite, a condamné samedi les attaques à Paris qui ont fait au moins 128 morts les qualifiant d' « odieuses » et a appelé « le monde entier à s'unir pour faire face à ce monstre »

"« Nous condamnons cette attaque odieuse », a affirmé cheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb à l’ouverture d’une conférence au Caire, soulignant que « le temps est venu pour que le monde entier s’unisse afin de faire face à ce monstre »..."

["The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, a prestigious institution in Sunni Islam, on Saturday condemned the attacks in Paris that killed at least 128 dead describing them as 'odious' and called on 'the whole world to unite to face this monster'

" 'We condemn this heinous attack,' said Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb at the opening of a conference in Cairo, stressing that 'the time has come for the world to unite to face this monster'...."]

"Arab states condemn 'terrorist' Paris attacks"
Al Arabiya News (November 14, 2015)
"Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt have been among the Arab states leading condemnations of the simultaneous attacks in Paris that killed 129 people and wounded 250 - 80 critically - on late Friday.

"Saudi King Salman sent a cable of condolence to French President Francoise Hollande. 'We learned about the pain and the sadness of the terrorist attacks in Paris…we express our condemnation for this repugnant terrorist act and offer our condolences to your excellency, the French people and the families of the victims,' said the king, who is currently in Turkey for the G20 Summit.

"Prominent Saudi scholars also condemned the attacks...."
2 Background:
3 Catholic responses to the November 13, 2014, attacks:
"Cardinal Vingt-Trois of Paris: statement on terror attacks"
(Vatican Radio (November 14, 2015))
"...Message of Cardinal Vingt-Trois following the terrorist attacks in Paris

"Our city of Paris, our country, was hit last night with particular savagery and intensity.

"After the attacks of last January, after the attack in Beirut this week and many others in these past months, including in Nigeria and other African countries, our country knows anew the pain of grief and must face the barbarism spread by fanatical groups.

"This morning I pray, and invite Catholics of Paris to pray, for those who were killed yesterday and for their families, for the injured and their loved ones and for those who are hard at work assisting them, for the police forces who face formidable challenges, and for our leaders and country, so that together we will remain in unity and peace of heart....

"...Faced with the violence of men, may we receive the grace of a firm heart, without hatred. May the moderation, temperance and control that has been shown so far, be confirmed in the weeks and months to come; let no one indulge in panic or hatred. We ask that grace be the artisan of peace. We need never despair of peace if we build on justice."

"Pope Francis: No religious or human justification for Paris attacks"
Vatican Radio (November 14, 2015)
"Pope Francis has called the attacks in Paris 'a piece' of the 'piecemeal Third World War.'

"In a telephone interview on Saturday with the Italian Bishops' Conference official television network – TV2000 – Pope Francis said the attacks are 'not human.'

" 'I am close to the people of France, to the families of the victims, and I am praying for all of them,' Pope Francis said. 'I am moved and I am saddened. I do not understand, these things hard to understand.'...

"When asked if this is part of the 'piecemeal Third World War' the Holy Father has mentioned many times before, Pope Francis said 'this is a piece of it,' adding 'there is no religious or human justification for it.'..."
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Sunday, August 24, 2014

"All are Equal Before God" — Rights of Humanity and a Right of the Aggressor

James Foley is dead: the photojournalist, not the movie director. If someone had paid the $132,000,000 USD that ISIS apparently wanted, he might be alive. Or maybe not: there's a reason for United States policy about not paying ransom.

Folks who engage in kidnapping or terrorism have to have flexible ethics: I'll get back to that.

I learned that James Foley was Catholic from a post by Rebecca Hamilton, on Google Plus — indirectly. For a while, I thought I'd be writing about the Rosary, prayer, and family. Then I ran into this:
"...As Islamic State fighters have swept through northern Iraq, Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken out against the violence that has seen thousands of Christians and others, including Shia Muslims and members of the Yazidi sect, killed or driven from their homes.

"He said this week that Western countries would be justified in acting to stop the 'unjust' aggression...."
(Reuters Africa)
Ever since the European branch of Western Civilization took off, a few centuries back, "Western countries" have generally been the most active in world affairs: for good or ill.

Even so, saying "...that Western countries would be justified..." seemed oddly specific. The Catholic Church is literally catholic, universal. (July 25, 2014)

That started me wondering: was there something about the mess in Iraq and Syria that made it okay for only one set of countries to stop unjust aggressors?

I still think the 'Catholic' connection with the Foley family's loss is interesting, so I put excerpts from what I'd found at the end of this post: along with part of a transcript of what Pope Francis said.1

Unhappy About Change


Apparently ISIS, the folks who killed James Foley, aren't happy with today's world. They seem to yearn for the 'good old days,' when they believe Islam measured up to their standards and preferences. They're probably quite sincere: and certainly willing to kill anyone who doesn't agree with them.

Victims of their zeal include  Shia Muslims, Druze, Mandeans, Shabaks, Yazidis, and Christians. You'll find more about ISIS at "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant." (Wikipedia)

Folks being unhappy about change isn't a uniquely Muslim experience.

I run into Catholics who seem convinced that we should return to the 'good old days' — as they remember them. Catholics who yearn for yesteryear occasionally get together and form their own little micro-church, but don't seem inclined to kill outsiders.

I'd say 'Christians are better than that:' but realize that now and then some of us go rogue.

The nearest thing America has had to ISIS are groups like the Ku Klux Klan: folks who seem convinced that they're 'protecting' America from 'foreigners' and our 'evil' ways.

Happily, America is nowhere near as WASPish as it was in my youth: but a burning cross does show up occasionally, expressing disapproval of 'un-American' people. (January 6, 2013; April 7, 2011); January 22, 2010)

Terrorism and Options


Kidnapping, terrorism, and torture, aren't just unpleasant. Subjecting others to that sort of pressure is wrong. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2297)

You've probably heard that 'Christian' rulers sometimes indulged in this sort of thing. That's true. Sadly, Catholic pastors sometimes did not protest these actions: and sometimes committed the same crimes. It's still wrong. (Catechism, 2297-2298)

I suppose one could argue that if a nation's ruler does something, it can't be a crime: but "legal" and "right" aren't the same thing.

I'm savvy enough to realize that some things, like which side of the road we drive on, have no universal "right" or "wrong." But I also recognize that natural law, ethical principles woven into the universe, are as real as physical laws: and that's another topic. (October 6, 2013)

Sadly, sometimes people are killed because they don't worship the 'right' way. When that happens, there are decisions. Should folks who are targeted head for the hills, let themselves be killed, start worshiping the 'right' way and hope for the best, or try to stop the attack?

Here's what Pope Francis said about stopping an unjust aggressor —

Stopping an Unjust Aggressor

"...Alan Holdren:

"Your Holiness, my name is Alan Holdren, I work for Catholic News Agency, ACI Prensa in Lima, Peru, and EWTN. As you know, United States military forces have just begun to bomb terrorists in Iraq in order to prevent a genocide, to protect the future of minorities – I'm also thinking of the Catholics in your care. Do you approve of this American bombing?

"Pope Francis:

"Thank you for your very clear question. In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I emphasize the word: 'stop'. I'm not saying drop bombs, make war, but stop the aggressor. The means used to stop him would have to be evaluated. Stopping an unjust aggressor is licit. But we also need to remember! How many times, with this excuse of stopping an unjust aggressor, the powers have taken over peoples and carried on an actual war of conquest! One nation alone cannot determine how to stop an unjust aggressor. After the Second World War, there was the idea of the United Nations: that is where discussion was to take place, to say: Is this an unjust aggressor? It would seem so. How do we stop him?' This alone, nothing else. Second, minorities. Thanks for using that word. Because people say to me: 'the Christians, the poor Christians…' And it is true, they are suffering, and martyrs, yes, there are many martyrs. But there are also men and women, religious minorities, not all Christians, and all are equal before God. To stop an unjust aggressor is a right of humanity, but it is also a right of the aggressor to be stopped in order not to do evil...."
(In-flight press conference)
We live in a world that has seen Mohandas Gandhi and Adolph Hitler, Mother Teresa and Osama bin Laden. If polite requests would stop the Hitlers and bin Ladens of this world from arranging the deaths of others, we would have no need for military force.

Unhappily, there are folks who are not nice: at all. Since being alive is preferable to being dead, we are allowed to defend ourselves. This principle, applied to outfits like nations, is called just war. (Catechism, 2307-2309)

Basically, using military force is acceptable if — the damage inflicted by the aggressor is "lasting, grave, and certain;" all other alternatives are "impractical or ineffective;" there is a reasonable chance for success; and using arms will not "produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated." (Catechism, 2309)

International Authority and Working With What We've Got


I don't trust the United Nations any more than I trust the American Congress. Flawed as they are, though, these are institutions we must deal with.

I hope that humanity will eventually cobble together an international authority "with the necessary competence and power" to end war and settle disputes with justice and mercy. (Catechism, 2308; "Gaudium et Spes," 79)

That won't happen in my lifetime, or my children's. My guess is that creating a close equivalent of Tennyson's "Federation of the world" will take generations. Centuries. And that's yet another topic. (May 26, 2014)

I'm quite sure that folks targeted by ISIS don't have time to wait for a perfect world. We must work with what we have.

Loving Neighbors: No Matter What


I think that Pope Francis is right, that "...it is also a right of the aggressor to be stopped in order not to do evil...."

The rules are simple: love God, love my neighbor, see everyone as my neighbor. (Matthew 5:43-44; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-30; Catechism, 1825)

Sometimes that means trying to stop my neighbor from doing something wrong, like driving drunk: or killing folks who don't worship the 'right' way.

By the way, even if I had the power to make others agree with me about my faith: I wouldn't be allowed to use it.

As a Catholic, I must support religious freedom: for everyone. And that's yet again another topic. (Catechism, 1738, 2104-2109)

More of what I think about living in a big world:
Background:
News and views:
1 Excerpt from News and views:
"Journalist Foley's parents, after call with pope, call for prayer and action"
Reuters Africa (August 22, 2014)
"Slain journalist James Foley on praying the rosary in captivity UPDATED"
Catherine Harmon, The CWR Blog, The Catholic World Report)

"The news broke late yesterday that Islamic State jihadists executed freelance journalist James Foley and posted a video of his beheading. Foley, 40, had been missing for two years while covering the conflict in Syria. I am not going to link to the video or include screen shots from it, but I will share another link that has been circulating since the news of Foley's brutal death: an article he wrote for the alumni magazine of Marquette University, his alma mater. The piece is about the time Foley spent imprisoned in Libya in 2011:
"I began to pray the rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed. 
I said 10 Hail Marys between each Our Father. It took a long time, almost an hour to count 100 Hail Marys off on my knuckles. And it helped to keep my mind focused.

"Clare and I prayed together out loud. It felt energizing to speak our weaknesses and hopes together, as if in a conversation with God, rather than silently and alone. …
"Update 8/22: The Vatican confirmed Thursday that Pope Francis telephoned Foley's family and offered his condolences:
"Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said the pope phoned relatives of the late James Foley on Aug. 21 to console them for their loss and assure them of his prayers.

"The call to the Foley family in Rochester, New Hampshire, came in the afternoon New Hampshire time. Father Lombardi released no additional details. …

"President Obama called Foley's parents, John and Diane Foley, Aug. 20 before addressing the nation about their son's death and told them: 'We are all heartbroken.'

"When the president was making his televised remarks about James Foley's death, his parents spoke to reporters on the front yard of their home.

"'We thank God for the gift of Jim. We are so, so proud of him,' said Diane Foley.

"She added that he was 'a courageous, fearless journalist -- the best of America.'

"John Foley told reporters: 'We think his strength came from God,' and his wife interjected: 'We know it did.' "
"Journalist Foley's parents, after call with pope, call for prayer and action"
Reuters Africa (August 22, 2014)

"The parents of James Foley, the American journalist killed by Islamic State militants in Iraq, on Friday called for prayer and support to free the remaining captives held by Islamic State fighters.

" 'We do pray, we beg the international community to help the remaining hostages,' his mother, Diane Foley, said in an interview with her husband, John, on MSNBC. 'We just pray that they will be set free.'

"Their plea comes after a long conversation with Pope Francis, who the Vatican said called the couple on Thursday afternoon to offer his condolences and support....

"...The United States has opened a criminal investigation into Foley's death and said the Islamic State is an imminent threat to U.S. interests. President Barack Obama also has called for a united international front to combat the group, which is still holding other hostages.

"Foley's parents said they drew "huge comfort" from their conversation with the pope, who himself was grieving the loss of relatives who died earlier this week in a car crash in Argentina....

"...As Islamic State fighters have swept through northern Iraq, Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken out against the violence that has seen thousands of Christians and others, including Shia Muslims and members of the Yazidi sect, killed or driven from their homes.

"He said this week that Western countries would be justified in acting to stop the 'unjust' aggression.

" 'Pope Francis, like Jesus, loves, like Jim. He understood Jim's heart,' Diane Foley said of her son, who 'was able to draw strength from prayer' during his capture...."
"In-Flight Press Conference of His Holiness Pope Francis from Korea to Rome"
Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Republic of Korea on the Occasion of the 6th Asian Youth Day (13-18 August 2014), Papal Flight (August 18, 2014)
(From c.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2014/august/documents/papa-francesco_20140818_corea-conferenza-stampa.html (August 23, 2014))

"Sung Jin Park:

"...you spoke first of all to the families of the victims of the Se Wol ferry disaster and comforted them. I have two questions. First, what were your feelings when you met them? Second, aren't you concerned that your gesture might be misunderstood politically?

"Pope Francis:

"Whenever you find yourself facing human suffering, you have to do what your heart tells you to. Then people will say: 'He did it for this or that political reason'; let them say what they want. But when you think of these men and woman, these fathers and mothers who have lost their children, their brothers and sisters, of the immense pain of such a disaster, I don’t know, my heart.. I am a priest and I feel the need to draw near! That's how I feel; that is the first thing. I know that the comfort that any word of mine might give is no cure, it doesn't bring the dead back to life, but human closeness at these times gives us strength, there is solidarity… I remember that as Archbishop of Buenos Aires I experienced two catastrophes like this one: a fire in a dance hall, where a pop music concert was being held, and 193 persons died. Another time, a trains disaster – I believe 120 people died. At the time, I felt the same way: a need to draw close. Human suffering is powerful, and if at these sad times we draw closer, we help one another greatly. As for that final question, I would like to add something. I took this (holding up a ribbon). After I carried it for half a day – I took it for solidarity with them – somebody came up to me and said: It’s better to take that off… You should be neutral …' 'But listen, where human suffering is involved, you can't be neutral'. That was my answer; that's how I feel...."

"...Alan Holdren:

"Your Holiness, my name is Alan Holdren, I work for Catholic News Agency, ACI Prensa in Lima, Peru, and EWTN. As you know, United States military forces have just begun to bomb terrorists in Iraq in order to prevent a genocide, to protect the future of minorities – I'm also thinking of the Catholics in your care. Do you approve of this American bombing?

"Pope Francis:

"Thank you for your very clear question. In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I emphasize the word: 'stop'. I'm not saying drop bombs, make war, but stop the aggressor. The means used to stop him would have to be evaluated. Stopping an unjust aggressor is licit. But we also need to remember! How many times, with this excuse of stopping an unjust aggressor, the powers have taken over peoples and carried on an actual war of conquest! One nation alone cannot determine how to stop an unjust aggressor. After the Second World War, there was the idea of the United Nations: that is where discussion was to take place, to say: Is this an unjust aggressor? It would seem so. How do we stop him?' This alone, nothing else. Second, minorities. Thanks for using that word. Because people say to me: 'the Christians, the poor Christians…' And it is true, they are suffering, and martyrs, yes, there are many martyrs. But there are also men and women, religious minorities, not all Christians, and all are equal before God. To stop an unjust aggressor is a right of humanity, but it is also a right of the aggressor to be stopped in order not to do evil....

"...Paloma García Ovejero:

"But afterwards: Mexico, Philadelphia?

"Pope Francis:

"No, I'll tell you why. This year, Albania was planned, that is true. There are those who say that the Pope tends to start everything from the periphery. But no, Why am I going to Albania? For two important reasons. First, because they have managed to form a government – we think of the Balkans! – a government of national unity between Muslims, Orthodox and Catholics, with an interreligious Council which is very helpful and balanced. And this is working well, it's harmonious. The Pope's presence is a way of saying to everyone: 'We can all work together!' I felt it would be a real help to that noble people. And another thing: If we think of the history of Albania, it was, in terms of religion, the one communist country whose Constitution enshrined practical atheism. If you went to Mass, it was a violation of the Constitution. One of the ministers told me that at the time – here I want to be precise in the figures – 1,820 churches were torn down. Torn down! Orthodox churches, Catholic churches… And other churches were turned into cinemas, theaters, dance halls… I felt I should go: It is close by, it can be done in a day… Then next year, I would like to go to Philadelphia..."
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Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day: War; Celebrating; Remembering; and Building a Better World


(From Remember, Spyder_Monkey; via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)
"...Till the war-drum throbbed no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.

"There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe,
And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law...."
("Locksley Hall," Alfred, Lord Tennyson)
As a youth, those were among my favorite lines of poetry. A half-century later, they still are: although I've learned to temper my optimism with patience.

Remembering

Today is Memorial Day, the third day in a three-day weekend that's the unofficial start of summer's vacation season. It's also a day when some of us honor those who died while serving in the United States armed forces.

Following our custom, the American president will probably lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Looking Back

Folks have been decorating burial sites with flowers for thousands of years: and, from what we found in Shanidar IV burials, quite possibly tens of thousands. My guess is that we've been doing something of the sort for upwards of 300,000 years, and that's another topic.

Our Memorial Day is much more recent. Starting in 1865, quite a few Americans remembered those killed in the War Between the States and other conflicts in May. All that got merged into a standardized three-day weekend in 1971, and that's yet another topic.

I think it would be nice if wars never happened, or if all conflicts could be settled over a cup of tea. Sadly, we do not live in a nice world. On the other hand, I'm cautiously optimistic.

After slaughtering each other in a series of increasingly devastating wars, Europeans have managed to avoid an internecine war for several generations: and even cobbled together the European Union.

Looking Ahead

If the descendants of my ancestors could learn to bury the hatchet metaphorically, and not in each other: my guess is that anybody can.

The process of building something like Tennyson's "Federation of the world" will take hard work and time: my guess is that we're looking at generations, centuries. But I think establishing what the Catechism calls an "international authority with the necessary competence and power" to sort out conflict without war will be worth the effort. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2307-2317)

Meanwhile, I think there's good sense in these words:
" 'Immaturus obi; sed tu felicior annos vive meos: Bona Republica! vive tuos.'

'I died before my time, but thou O great and good Republic, live out my years while you live out your own.'"
(Inscriptions on Meriwether Lewis memorial, via National Park Service.)
In a way, folks who take a vacation during Memorial Day weekend are following Meriwether Lewis' advice: and, in a sense, honoring our nation's dead by enjoying the comparative freedom and peace we have within our borders.

Related posts:
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Friday, September 6, 2013

Praying for Peace in Syria

I've said this before: war is not nice. Things get broken. People get killed. (March 22, 2011)

I'll be praying for peace in Syria tomorrow, joining however many folks decided to go along with what the Pope said:
"...I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative...."
(Angelus," Pope Francis (September 1, 2013))

Dead Syrians

The American president apparently thinks that military action against Syria is a good idea: but not using ground troops. He may be right.

Syria's leader has a regrettable habit of killing Syrians who aren't sufficiently supportive of him, or who simply get in the way. The most recent high-profile incident involved chemical weapons used against civilians. I've discussed Syria and related topics in another blog:
As I said in that blog, it would be nice if Syria's president al-Asad would decide to start acting nice: but that doesn't seem likely.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced that limited military action against some target in Syria will encourage Syria's leadership to start behaving; or give Syrians a chance to swap out their current leader for someone a bit less lethal.

In any case, it's not my decision: for which I'm duly grateful.

Popes and Peace

A pope promoting peace is nothing new. For example, Benedict XVI asked for peace in places like Sri Lanka and Darfur:
"...I appeal to all those who hold in their hands the fate of Iraq, that there will be an end to the brutal violence that has brought so much bloodshed to the country, and that every one of its inhabitants will be safe to lead a normal life...."
("Urbi et Orbi," Pope Benedict XVI (December 25, 2006))

Just War

War is not nice, but sometimes it's better than the alternative. The Catholic Church says that folks are allowed to defend themselves.

Sometimes not-nice people do a great deal of lasting damage. When that happens, if there is no reasonable alternative, if there success is possible, and if using force won't cause more problems: then military force is okay. It's called just war.1

I am not at all convinced that what's happening in Syria fits the 'just war' criteria, and I am convinced that a 'bomb and retreat' approach won't solve Syria's problems.

Why bother to pray, if I don't think either the Syrian or the American president has the right idea? That's where hope comes in: and that's another topic.

Related posts:
1What is a "just war?"
"The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:
  • "the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
  • "all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
  • "there must be serious prospects of success;
  • "the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.
"These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the 'just war' doctrine.

"The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2309)
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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Curing the Sick, Helping the Poor; Yes:
Killing the Innocent; No

America's national government has decided that freedom of religion means allowing religious people to go into a building now and then, and do religious stuff. I think that's a good idea.

Worship, and More

Worship is an important part of being Catholic. But there's more to it than that. My faith requires that I act as if God matters, whether I'm in a church or not.

The feds have decided that just about every business, hospital, and other outfit in America must pay for what's euphemistically called 'women's health services.'

The Obama administration has magnanimously allowed an exemption for folks with scruples about killing very young people. That seems very broad-minded, until one takes a close look at the "exemption."

As I wrote yesterday:
"...To qualify for the privilege of not killing people, or paying assassins, organizations must:
  • "Be non-profit
  • "Exist to inculcate religious values
  • "Primarily serve and employ
    members of their own faiths
"Think about it. If a hospital exists to cure the sick, it doesn't qualify. If a business makes a profit, it doesn't qualify. If a church hires people without discriminating on the basis of religion, it doesn't qualify...."
(June 23, 2012)
I'm not impressed by that "exemption." Not favorably, anyway. More to the point, every Catholic bishop in America says that forcing America's subjects to kill young people or pay someone else to do the job is a bad idea.

Archbishops, too. (June 23, 2012) Here's more of what Archbishop Lori said:
"...Religious organizations such as Catholic hospitals, inner-city schools and charitable agencies do not qualify for the exemption because they are committed to serving all in need, regardless of their faith.

"Thus, the Church is only 'religious enough' for a religious exemption if it 'confines itself to the sacristy,' but not if it attempts to reach out 'by hiring those of other faiths and by serving the common good,' Archbishop Lori observed.

"He warned that this very narrow definition of church and religion that is embedded in the mandate 'is likely to spread throughout federal law' if not swiftly removed...."
(Michelle Bauman, CNA/EWTN News)

'Human Beings are People,' and Other Counter-Cultural Ideas

What Archbishop Loris said sound very harsh: Catholic hospitals will treat the sick, but not kill people; and that Catholic inner-city schools are willing to educate poor people, but won't kill their babies.

This rigid refusal to go along with legalized murder isn't as uncaring as it may seem. Archbishop Lori is Catholic. We think human beings are people. All human beings: even young, sick, and useless ones.

I wrote about my take on freedom, and what an archbishop said, yesterday:
Folks acting as if some human beings aren't, or aren't quite, people is nothing new. Toward the end of the 19th century, an American author wrote what I think is one of the most eloquent literary criticisms of a traditional attitude:
"...'...We blowed out a cylinder-head.'

" 'Good gracious! anybody hurt?''

"No'm. Killed a [redacted].'

"' Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt....'..."
(Mark Twain, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" Part 2 (1885), Chapter XXXII., via Project Gutenberg)
(June 24, 2011)
That book was banned a few decades back, because Twain used the word [redacted], and that's almost another topic.

Human Life is Sacred: All Human Life

I'm a practicing Catholic, so what I think and how I live is counter-cultural. That's nothing new.

The idea that a person should love God, neighbors: and that everybody is a neighbor is nearly as radical now as it was when my Lord was here, two millennia back. We're making progress, though. (May 6, 2012)

I can't 'go with the flow' and accept what America's establishment calls 'women's health services.' That's because I'm a Catholic, and so must act as if human beings are people. All human beings: not just the useful, good-looking, healthy ones. Like I said before, I'm part of a counter-culture.

Here's a quick overview of why I can't go along with killing innocent people. Not even if the president says it's okay:
  • Human life
    • Is sacred
      (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2258)
    • Begins at conception
      • (Catechism, 2270, 2274)
  • Murder is wrong
    (Catechism, 2259-2262, 2268-2270)
  • Legitimate defense is permitted
    • But not more violence than necessary
      (Catechism, 2264)
    (Catechism, 2263-2267)
  • Abortion is wrong
    (Catechism, 2270-2275)
    • Because even very young human beings are people
      (Catechism, 2273-2274)
  • Euthanasia is wrong
    (Catechism, 2276-2279)
  • Suicide is wrong
    (Catechism, 2280-2283)
    • But regarding the soul of someone who commits suicide
      • Despair is not an option
      • "The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."
      (Catechism, 2283)

All Human Life: Really

Since I think all human life is sacred, how can I justify capital punishment? It's simple: I don't. (April 27, 2012, October 2, 2008) (and click capital punishment in this blog's Label Cloud)

I haven't posted as often about capital punishment as I have about abortion and euthanasia. That's because right now, the establishment isn't as enthusiastic about capital punishment as it was in my youth.

Like I've said before, change happens: and some change is for the better.

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Sunday, September 11, 2011

9/11, Just War, and 'Death to Mickey Mouse'

I've said this before: I think war is not nice. Things get broken, and people get killed. I also think that sometimes war is preferable to the alternative.

The first belief doesn't make me a pacifist, the second doesn't make me a warmonger. As if that's not confusing enough, I'm not a conservative or a liberal either. And I'm certainly not "moderate." I'm a Catholic.1

Oh, for the Will-Be that Was

I also think it would be nice if someone could have called 911 back in 2001: after which Osama bin Laden would have been arrested, tried, and kept from causing more trouble.

Or, better yet, that a sorehead with religious quirks would have learned to be an annoyance at the local bar or its equivalent - not the mastermind of the largest mass murder America has seen.

I remember the trailing edge of an era when Progress and Science were expected to solve all our problems. I think that's about as reasonable as the currently-fashionable notion that Progress and Science will kill us all - plus all the cute animals.

The Parliament of Man - - -

One of the overly-optimistic predictions I remember is that the United Nations was that socio-political El Dorado we'd read about in speculative fiction: a wise, benevolent, powerful world government on a par with the Science Council of Krypton. The reality is - much more realistic.

I've quoted Tennyson before:
"...We're a very long way from having an 'international authority with the necessary competence and power' to simply arrest someone like Saddam Hussein. (Catechism, 2308)

"Until we have something like Tennyson's 'Parliament of man, the Federation of the world,' we'll have to make do with the United Nations. Or go back to the 'good old days' that led to the 'war to end all wars' - and the war after that one...."
(June 16, 2011)
This doesn't mean that I "trust" the United Nations. I don't assume that whatever comes out of the U.N. is right. I do think that, along with outfits like the United States Congress and the alleged national government of Somalia, it's what we have to work with.

Moving on.

'What if They Had a War, and Nobody Came?'

I was one of those 'crazy college kids' in the '70s, and had already created a sort of 'peace poster' in high school. It was no more conventional than my attitudes at the time: and that's another topic.

Then, as now, I thought that war is not nice; and that peace is nice. I also thought that we live in a world where not everybody is nice.

Which is why why I have a great deal of respect for serious, dedicated, pacifists: and think that they will prosper as long as there are non-pacifists to protect them.

Living in the Real World

Like it or not, there are times when folks whose chief offense is existing get killed by the world's not-nice people.

When that happens, a decision has to be made by the secular authority responsible for protecting the victims. Over-simplifying the matter, the choices are often:
  • Hope that the not-nice people will decide to start being nice
  • Take measures to prevent them from being not-nice again
Maybe it sounds silly, put that way: but that's the gist of the decision facing an American president 10 years ago today.

Just War: It's Not an Oxymoron

The Catholic Church has been dealing with the real world for almost two millennia. Our basic instructions are pretty simple, like:
When our neighbor is convinced we work for Satan, and has killed some of our other neighbors? That's when those simple instructions get anything but simple.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that the Catholic Church has been collecting and analyzing what some of the world's top minds thought about applying Christian teaching to the real world: for about two thousand years now.

We've got a method for sorting out what to do when a maniac comes roaring over the horizon. Or, as in the case of the 9/11 attack, has already arrived.

When the targets form a large group of people, like a nation, the principles of 'just war' apply. I've been over this before:
"The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:
  • "the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
  • "all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
  • "there must be serious prospects of success;
  • "the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.
"These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the 'just war' doctrine.

"The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2309)
That's a fairly straightforward list of criteria. The trick is applying them in a specific situation. I'm profoundly glad that I'm not one of "those who have responsibility for the common good." I have about as much responsibility as I can handle, being a husband, father, citizen, and some guy with a blog.

Is Defending Ourselves Okay?

I'm a citizen in a country where folks at my level can have a measure of influence in national affairs. And my faith won't let me be 'too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good.' (Catechism, 2246) Which is why I try to figure out what a responsible position would be on issues, and hope I find a candidate with more than a snowball's chance in Hell of supporting those positions, if elected.

I've gone over the idea of 'just war' before, in connection with supporting folks in Libya who'd gotten fed up with the Colonel. (March 22, 2011)

Today, on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack, I'm doing the same for the war on terror as a whole.

Is the war on terror a 'just war?' Here's my take, point by point:
  • "the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;"
    • I'm not sure how many dead people it takes to be "lasting, grave, and certain"
      • The 3,000 or so folks killed September 11, 2011 are a tiny fraction of Earth's population
        • Some think they deserved to be killed2
    • But dead is dead
      • It doesn't get much more "lasting, grave and certain" than that
    • Al Qaeda and other like-minded groups give no sign that they're ready to stop killing folks why don't agree with them
      • This makes them a threat to just about everybody
  • "all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;"
    • This, I think, is a genuinely uncertain point
      • It's possible to say that tomorrow Al Qaeda will have a leader who says it was all a big mistake
        • And start handing out love beads
        • Possible, yes
          • Likely, no
      • Ignoring terrorists, and 'diplomatic solutions,' have been tried
        • Since the '70s3
          • With at-best-limited success
      • Maybe Al Qaeda would stop killing people if an American president
        • Asked very nicely
        • Apologized for letting Americans
          • Drink beer
          • Wear trousers
          • Drive cars
            • Applies to women
          • Be insufficiently Islamic
  • "there must be serious prospects of success;"
    • On one side we've got religious fanatics
      • Who apparently want to keep thing just the way they were
        • At least several centuries back
        • In a sort of ancient backwater
          • Where things hadn't changed much in about 4,000 years4
    • On the other side we've got just about everybody else
      • Those whose ancestors helped make today's world
      • Those whose homelands didn't quite keep up
        • But who see advantages in getting up to speed5
    • The side with 'everybody else' has
      • Economic resources that are
        • Vast
        • Diversified
      • Generations of experience in settling differences
        • Through negotiation
          • Not beheading
        • Through armed force
          • Which encourages negotiation
    • I think 'everybody else' stands a very good chance of succeeding
      • Not swiftly
      • Not easily
      • But eventually
  • "the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition."
    • This, I think, is another uncertain point
    • Not acting without certain knowledge of all possible outcomes sounds nice
      • But probably requires abilities that living human beings do not possess
        • Which reminds me of the nature of knowledge
          • And other topics
      • Divination, by the way, is not an option for a Catholic (Catechism, 2115)
    • I think Iraq is a success story of sorts
      • The American-led coalition6 did some damage
        • But succeeded at least in part because Iraqis noticed who was
          • Helping them
          • Beheading them7
    • I also think that folks will decide getting beheaded by religious fanatics isn't such a good idea, after all
      • After they learn what the 'Satanic' West is really like
So, is the war on terror a "just war?"

I think it is. So far, anyway. Using armed force - carefully - to delay the next massive terrorist attack will continue to be justified. Provided that American leaders and their counterparts elsewhere remember what the stakes are - and why so many Iraqis decided to turn on their 'protectors.'

Armed Force: Necessary, But Not the Whole Solution

I do not think armed force is what will finally end the situation that produced Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Al Shabaab, and all the rest. But I do think it'll be needed to keep terrorists from 'protecting' their victims from freedom, prosperity, and Mickey Mouse cartoons.8

Vengeance, Forgiveness, Justice

Nobody I know was killed in the 9/11 attacks. Many of those who did lose children, parents, relatives, and friends 10 years ago are still hurting. Which is why forgiveness is important.

This is getting me into a topic for another post - but a sort of bottom line is that forgiveness isn't for the sake of whoever wronged me: it's for my benefit.

Also, "forgiving" isn't "excusing." My faith doesn't require me to be stupid. Or mentally blind.

Finally, justice is a virtue. Vengeance is strictly God's business.9

Related posts:
The 10th anniversary of 9/11, more posts:
1 The Catholic Church has been around for about two thousand years. It didn't conform to the standards of the Roman Empire. We're required to follow what our Lord taught us, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, following to the best of our ability the wisdom of the Father.

It's not our business to cater to the preferences of whatever empire or nation is on top of the heap in the century we're in. I've been over this before:
2 I don't think the folks in New York City's World Trade Center deserved to be killed, but I'm not on the same page as the establishment's lunatic fringe.

I also think it's important to remember that the loudest, craziest, members of a group - may not be typical of the group. Not all 'establishment types' in the '60s were commie-hunting maniacs; not everybody who's with the new establishment are liberal nut jobs. Every largish group seems to have its lunatic fringe, though:
3 The 9/11 attack wasn't the first time that Islamic crazies killed 'the enemy.' What makes it stand out is the scale, and that September 11, 2001, is when an American leader decided that firm action was needed.

Victims of terrorism haven't just been Americans:
  • 1972, September 5, Munich Olympic Games. Palestinian terrorists kill 11 Israeli athletes.
  • 1979, November 4, Teheran. Ayatollah Khomeini supporters take over U.S. embassy. Fifty-three U.S. diplomats held hostage until 1981.
  • 1983, April 18, Beirut. Islamic Jihad truck bomb hits U.S. Embassy. 63 dead.
  • 1983, October 23, Beirut. Hezbollah truck bomb hits U.S. Marines barracks. 241 dead.
  • 1984, December 4, Kuwait Airlines. Hijackers divert flight 221 to Tehran. 2 dead.
  • 1985, June 14, TWA flight. Hijackers divert flight 847 to Beirut. 1 dead (U.S. Navy diver Robert Dean Stethem, dumped on the airport tarmac).
  • 1985, October 7, cruise ship Achille Lauro. 69-year-old American Leon Klinghoffer and his wheelchair dumped overboard.
  • 1987, September 5, Pan Am. Abu Nidal hijacks flight 73 in Pakistan. 20 dead.
  • 1988, December 21, Pan Am. Libyan terrorists allegedly blow up flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, 259 dead.
  • 1990, November 5, New York City. A group including Ramzi Yousef kills Jewish Defense League leader Rabbi Meir Kahane
  • 1994, March 1, Brooklyn. Rashid Bas attacks a van transporting yeshiva students. 1 dead.
  • 1996, June 25, Dhahran area, Saudi Arabia. Unknown persons hit Khobar Towers with truck-bomb. 19 dead.
  • 1998, August 7, Kenya, Tanzania. Unknown persons hit U.S. embassies with car bombls. 291 dead.
  • 1993, February 26, New York. An al-Qaeda-financed group including Mohammed Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Mahmud Abouhalima and Ahmad Ajaj, hit the Twin Towers with car bomb. 6 dead. "The blind sheik," Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, masterminded the bombing.
  • 2000, October 12, Yemen. Al-Qaeda may be responsible for attack on USS Cole. 17 dead.
  • 2001, September 11, New York City; Arlington County; Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Al-Qaeda affiliates hijack airliners, destroy Twin Towers, damage Pentagon. Fourth airliner brought down in Somerset County field. 2,974 dead.
    (Source: Newsmax.com and BBC.)
    (Previously posted in Another War-on-Terror Blog (August 5, 2007))
4 I'm an American. As I've explained to my kids, we're a twitchy lot. Some of us pine for the 'good old days,' but for the most part we can't seem to stop trying to make things better. And succeeding a remarkable fraction of the time.

Here in America, a building that's more than a few decades old is - really old. We've got pretty much the same political system we had two centuries back, but we started tweaking it practically from the get-go.

Most folks in the Middle East are descendants of Abram's neighbors - and Abram/Abraham. Abram changed his name to Abraham, was a central figure in a domestic dispute we're still dealing with, and the rest of the world changed.

Somewhere between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Viking Era, the Middle East dropped out of the world's cultural mainstream. And stayed there, until maybe a hundred years ago.

My ancestors had a chance to adapt to the last thousand or so years of change gradually. Most folks in the Middle East are going through a steep learning curve just now:
"...From legal action taken against a 'blasphemous' teddy bear, to outlawing the color red: I think there's evidence that many folks living in places like Sudan and Saudi Arabia are dealing, none too calmly, with a world that they simply don't understand.

Or like.

As I've said before: just a few generations back, many folks had been living in a culture which hadn't changed all that much since the days before Abraham moved out of Ur. Then they were dragged across thousands of years of change, from a culture of burqas and honor killings to a world of bikinis, Budweiser and dog food commercials.

No wonder some went a bit nuts...."
(Another War-on-Terror Blog (October 21, 2010))
I've posted about this before, mostly in another blog:
5 Bear with me, please. This story really does connect with the idea that folks outside the 'civilized world' can be at least as sensible as urban twits.

Decades back, I watched a documentary about folks who had been living in the stone age until very recently: and still were, for the most part. They'd made contact after it became illegal - and socially unacceptable - to simply kill 'natives' and take whatever they'd had.

As a result, they were making a little money by trading access to - I think it was gold - for negotiable currency. The elders, at least, understood the value of money, and enough about how business worked to know that they were being cheated.

Remember: These folks aren't 19th-century 'primitives,' or 'natives.' They're people who weren't involved in the last few thousand years' developments. Their technology and culture may be out of date: but they can learn.

The elders tried taking their case to court: and found out that since their agreement with the outsider was an oral contract, it was their word against his. So they used some of their money to buy a battery-operated camcorder. And recorded their next meeting with the outsider.

Then, when they were shortchanged - again - they went back to court. With the videotaped evidence. And won.

As the elder explained, 'we like our old ways and customs. We also like camcorders.'

6 It's been quite a while since the "diabolical" Bush was "going it alone" in a "unilateral" action against Saddam Hussein. I suspect that's because it was fairly easy to find out just how many nations were involved in that "unilateral action:"
7 The Anbar Awakening was the (comparatively) high-profile instance in Iraq, of a sort of reality check Iraqis had, when 'foreign aggressors' invaded their country. Iraqis are no more 19th-century 'natives' than the folks who like camcorders. (footnote 5 above) It didn't take folks in Iraq long to notice that the 'Satanic' invaders were fixing an infrastructure that Saddam Hussein had neglected: and trying to stop the 'lions of Islam' from beheading their neighbors.

After that, Al Qaeda didn't have quite so much public support.

The same strategy was used in Afghanistan:
8 Saudi Arabia is, sadly, a sort of blooper reel among the world's wealthier nations. It would be funny, except they occasionally kill people:
9 Justice is something we can - and must - handle. It's one of the cardinal virtues. (Catechism, 1805)

Vengeance is strictly off-limits for us:
"Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' Rather, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good."
(Romans 12:19-21)

"We know the one who said: 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay,' and again: 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
(Hebrews 10:3031)

"The vengeful will suffer the LORD'S vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Should a man nourish anger against his fellows and expect healing from the LORD? Should a man refuse mercy to his fellows, yet seek pardon for his own sins? If he who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?"
(Sirach 28:1-5)
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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

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What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.