After reviewing the posts in Meweus’ thread:
Did America deserve 9/11?
I was more than a little shocked at how easily people said, “America had it coming, after all they did to the rest of the world.” Rather than hijack that thread I post this one to address the group of Dopers that answered YES.
The theme I took away from this debate (both on this Board and with people in my house) is this notion that the US, through their foreign policy, has harmed a great many people. Those that live in the US benefit from that foreign policy, regardless of whether or not they support it or vote for the current president. Because they benefit from it they are in part responsible, and deserving of what ever they get. To paraphrase a common response:
“The US foreign policy is in part designed to make the lives of Americans better. If you live in the US than you are benefiting from that lifestyle. The way a criminal’s wife lives off his crimes, she deserves what ever comes to her even if she isn’t involved with robbing the bank. On 9/11 an act of revenge was committed on the US. Those killed were in the US and benefiting from decades of despicable foreign policies, hence they deserved what they got.”
I argued against this until I was blue in the face, as did many others on this board, and as a result I have had to come to terms with the fact that a significant population* agrees with the notion that America deserved 9/11.
So for debate I ask:
If you agree that the US deserved 9/11, who else also deserves it? A couple of examples I can think of off the top of my head would be Britain, France, and Spain for colonizing most of the world. Anyone descended from the Romans who colonized most of their world. Catholics. Germans for WWI, WWII, and the Holocaust. Canada for its treatment of the aboriginal peoples. Japan for WWII. And I guess I’ll finish off with Russia. Those were just examples of countries I felt have done at least similar actions to those that led to 9/11.
Secondly, is there any redemption? Assuming the US deserved 9/11, is there anything they can do to be forgiven? Was the destruction of the WTC sufficient punishment or should there be more. If so, how much more?
Lastly, if the US straightened up and flew right, did nothing but good, and apologized to everyone, how long after would they continue to deserve 9/11? By this I mean: is there some sort of statute of limitations? The Romans had a horrible foreign policy; does Rome still deserve to be attacked?
P.S. Has anyone else found that they use 9/11 as a verb now? Is that wrong?
*I do not have a specific number, I’m basing this on personal perception.