# Belarus: I pit the lack of outrage over over this outrage! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859 "2021-05-25T08:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![QMatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/aeb1de/32.png) [@QMatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QMatic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/1 "2021-05-25T08:03:31Z")
A rogue state forces an international flight to divert to Minsk so they can arrest a journalist. This is atrocious yet the only mention I can find on the SD is a small mention in [The Great Ongoing General Aviation Thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-general-aviation-thread/600499/2120) C’mon guys - this is serious shit. ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/2 "2021-05-25T08:19:20Z")
I.ve been checking and checking since yesterday if somebody has posted about it. I was considering starting a thread myself but didn’t know what to say except linking to a news story (and that is generally frowned upon). Dunno, maybe it wasn’t reported as much in the US? In any case thanks for starting this thread. (See? I still haven’t said anything about the event itself…) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/3 "2021-05-25T08:20:17Z")
You are right, this is absolutely outrageous. And that the EU States are not imposing tough sanctions is a shame. Highjacking a plane in a plot of state sponsored terrorism comes close to a _casus belli_, IMO. But, and this is quite a problem, there is a [precedent](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/03/edward-snowden-bolivia-plane-vienna). Yes, it was the USA in 2013. The main difference is that they were not successful because Snowden was not on the plane. Now, how do we saction one act while ignoring the other? Past actions come back, and Lukashenko (like Putin, BTW) are very good at pointing the finger at inconsistencies: “See, you do it too? Can’t be so bad!”. Such a shame. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/4 "2021-05-25T08:39:57Z")
> [@half-elf](#): > > Dunno, maybe it wasn’t reported as much in the US? It’s been reported plenty in the US. Unfortunately, I think far too many Americans hear about an think “Belarus? What’s that? Where? Well, I have no reason to ever go there so what do I care?” The problem is the setting of precedent. Let Belarus get away with this and this sort of thing will occur again. And, @Pardel-Lux, while I agree there is some similarity in the 2013 incident I don’t think the situations are completely the same. Saying there’s a bomb on an airplane is pretty damn serious vs. a bunch of countries who don’t want to let a particular individual wanted by another country to enter their jurisdiction. It’s still not a good precedent or look. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/5 "2021-05-25T08:43:31Z")
No, the situations are of course not completely the same. But forcing a presidential plane to land, a plane with diplomatic immunity, is pretty awful too and weakens our protests today. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/6 "2021-05-25T11:27:48Z")
I was shocked when I heard this news yesterday. It seemed like there was little happening for 5 or 6 hours, then I started to see this news: > **[Belarus' isolation grows after journalist's dramatic arrest](https://apnews.com/article/belarus-europe-arrests-business-government-and-politics-45902c1cb40fd177461016b47824967f)** > > BRUSSELS (AP) — Belarus’ isolation deepened Tuesday as commercial jets avoided its airspace, the European Union worked up new sanctions, and officials expressed concern for the welfare of an opposition journalist who was arrested after being pulled... ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/7 "2021-05-25T13:28:14Z")
“What the fuck is wrong with people who don’t start threads? I’m one of them–rather than start a thread about the thing I think is important, instead I started a thread pitting other people for not starting a thread about the thing I think is important!” Hey, QMatic, I’d teach you how to start a new thread, only you obviously know how to do it. Go start a goddamned thread in MPSIMS about this outrage already. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/8 "2021-05-25T16:14:15Z")
nm, misread something ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/9 "2021-05-25T16:26:19Z")
I understand that planes are no longer flying over Belarusian airspace, which means little. I think the leadership was already facing sanctions and figured what’s a few more? They cooked up some phoney baloney justification involving Israel and Palestine. The question is what else to do when the easy sanctions have been tried but did not deter. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/10 "2021-05-25T16:30:11Z")
> [@QMatic](#): > > C’mon guys - this is serious shit. So, then, why didn’t YOU do it instead of whining about other people not doing it?! I think I’m outraged over your outrage over the lack of outrage over such an outrage. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/11 "2021-05-25T17:36:36Z")
> [@QMatic](#): > > C’mon guys - this is serious shit. Then why didn’t you start a thread on it, in GD, instead of blaming all other members of the SD community for apparently not living up to your standards of outrage? And note that your outrage logically is directed at yourself, since **you** didn’t start a thread in GD. Evidently, you share everyone else’s lack of concern. But you’d rather get outraged at everyone else on the SD, with a air of self-virtue, even though you’re in exactly the same position as everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/12 "2021-05-25T17:46:34Z")
It is pretty horrible, but it is WAY outside the US sphere of influence ( and NATO wouldn’t touch it). Any rescue mission would be almost suicide. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/13 "2021-05-25T18:19:50Z")
I pit QMatic for starting a thread that should have been all about the bad shit going down in Belarus, but is instead is a mix of outrage over the incident and outrage over a really stupid thread. ---
**Author:** ![QMatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/aeb1de/32.png) [@QMatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QMatic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/14 "2021-05-25T18:31:30Z")
Merely being economic. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/15 "2021-05-25T19:12:24Z")
Am I the only one who thinks QMatic is goofing on Dopers who post in bleeding heart threads? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/16 "2021-05-26T04:21:19Z")
Why can’t someone clean up this pig sty? _casually throws candy wrapper on the floor_ ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/17 "2021-05-26T04:38:43Z")
Okay, I’ll say something (actually, ask something) about the actual incident: Maybe I missed seeing it, but I didn’t notice a mention of where the plane was when it was first intercepted. Was it intercepted in Belarus air-space? Or was it first intercepted over some other county and forced to fly into Belarus? Was this mentioned in the news reports anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/18 "2021-05-26T04:53:38Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Maybe I missed seeing it, but I didn’t notice a mention of where the plane was when it was first intercepted. Was it intercepted in Belarus air-space? Or was it first intercepted over some other county and forced to fly into Belarus? Was this mentioned in the news reports anywhere? As you can see here, it was intercepted over Belarus, right next to the Lithuanian border and very close to its destination in Vilnius. [![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/65E2/production/_118628062_athens_flight_diverted_2x640-nc.png) ](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/65E2/production/_118628062_athens_flight_diverted_2x640-nc.png) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/19 "2021-05-26T04:56:55Z")
@Alessan – thank you for posting that map. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859/20 "2021-05-26T05:18:12Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Unfortunately, I think far too many Americans hear about an think “Belarus? What’s that? Where? Well, I have no reason to ever go there so what do I care?” The passengers on the diverted plane had no reason (or intention) to go to Belarus either: they were on a flight from Greece to Lithuania. Even being an indifferent foreigner is not necessarily a reliable protection anymore. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belarus-i-pit-the-lack-of-outrage-over-over-this-outrage/942859.md?page=2)