Moral Equivalence

S.A.M.

uniquely dreadful
Valued Senior Member
Moral equivalence is a term used in political debate, usually to characterize in a negative way the claim that there can be no moral or ethical hierarchy decided between two sides in a conflict, nor in the actions or tactics of the two sides.

Aron Trauring, an American peace activist, argues that Israeli air-strikes against the homes of Hamas leaders makes Israel no better than Hamas:

"Civilians were directly targeted for death as part of an act of revenge on the part of the Israeli government. This is exactly the justification Hamas et al use for their military actions against Israeli civilians. They say the adults killed in their activities are people who perpetrate the "murderous occupation" against the Palestinians. They say these Israelis deserve to die just like Hamas leader Salah Shehada. If innocent dies as well, its just collateral damage. In essence we have reached moral equivalency."

The Israeli writer Yaacov Lozowick explains Israel's moral dilemmas:
"Restricting the freedom of movement of entire communities is immoral. Refraining from these restrictions when there is unequivocal proof that this will lead to the murder of innocents is worse, because movement restricted can later be granted, while dead will never live again. Demolishing the homes of civilians merely because a family member has committed a crime is immoral. If, however,... potential suicide murderers... will refrain from killing out of fear that their mothers will become homeless, it would be immoral to leave the Palestinian mothers untouched in their homes while Israeli children die on their school buses. Accidentally killing noncombatants in the cross fire of battles being fought in the middle of cities is immoral, unless... refraining from fighting in the Palestinian cities inevitably means the Palestinians will use the safe havens of their cities to plan, prepare and launch ever more murderous attacks on Jewish noncombatants. These concrete examples and others like them demonstrate the moral considerations that Israelis... have been dealing with since the Palestinans proudly decided to use suicide murder as their primary weapon." ("Right to Exist: A Moral Defense of Israel's Wars", p.260)

Note: This is not a Palestine-Israel thread.



The ethical question here is:

Does moral equivalence aid or subvert justice?

Please give your opinion.
 
Aron Trauring, an American peace activist, ...

That right there negates anything he might have to say about any-fuckin'-thing!

And just remember, Sam, that's one person's opinion ...and you know what they say about opinions, right?

Does moral equivalence aid or subvert justice?

"Moral equivalence" is psycho-babble bullshit that's spread around by some self-professed philosopher who knows nothing about what he talks about! Has he ever been in a war? Has he ever had his family murdered? Has he ever had to actually work for a fuckin' living? Does he live according to his own fucked up ideals, or is he like every other psycho-babblist ....a hippo-fuckin'-critter?

Baron Max
 
Does moral equivalence aid or subvert justice?

Please give your opinion.

As defined by you in the first sentence it subverts justice. A slave who sees his wife being beaten to death by a slaveowner and runs over and kills the slaveowner is in the right. Period.

Your arguments for why Israel is as bad as Hamas actually do not support the theory. They are seeking to find MORALLY equivalent evils perpetuated by Israel. In other words the argument is based on the idea that you need to find something that parallels the immorality of the other side. The definition of moral equivalence you've given denies the need for this.

(I actually do believe that Israel is more culpable than Hamas and few seem to realize that MANY MANY MORE palestinian non-combatants have been killed than Jewish ones. That they are put in the column collateral damage does not give their families extra peace.)
 
That right there negates anything he might have to say about any-fuckin'-thing!

And just remember, Sam, that's one person's opinion ...and you know what they say about opinions, right?



"Moral equivalence" is psycho-babble bullshit that's spread around by some self-professed philosopher who knows nothing about what he talks about! Has he ever been in a war? Has he ever had his family murdered? Has he ever had to actually work for a fuckin' living? Does he live according to his own fucked up ideals, or is he like every other psycho-babblist ....a hippo-fuckin'-critter?

Baron Max

why the hell do you find it neccasary to alweays use a hostile tone. can you for once be original and use a calm tone
 
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