Kim Sun-Il is now the fourth subject of beheadings that have been left for all the world to see. I am left wondering if the blogosphere will take that dark turn into a string of eulogies for the victims of these animals.
I came across one blog post somewhere in Obsidian Wings (Moe, I think it was you who wrote, please leave me the link in the comments) warning against dehumanizing these fiends, that we should not think of them as animals. I disagree, on very pragmatic grounds. Dehumanizing the enemy — at least in this case considering them to be savage animals — simplifies the matter of self-defense. These subhuman things are singlemindedly bent on our destruction or submission, and to consider them as human beings, men with families, friends and whatnot, makes it harder do what is necessary, which is their extermination. It would also bring out the sadist in all of us: if we considered them as “people too,” would it not be sadistic for us to deprive their families of their beloved? It is with this perspective that I consider them animals. It is much easier to kill savage beasts bent on eating me alive than for me to kill a well-rounded image of a human being. But then again, I would not find it difficult to defend myself, human or not.
It is not a matter of hate, and though I hate them with a passion I am loathe to play games of equivalence. Hating Chairman Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, and a whole bunch of other murderous despots does not drag me down into the depths of their levels. Perhaps Zombyboy says it best for me:
Clues for those without: not every bad thing in the world happens because of America, not every military action is without merit, not every cultural twitch and quirk is acceptable if you’d “only see it from their point of view”, and these terrorists won’t like us even if we were to abandon the Middle East entirely. They would still despise us, they would still attack Israel until there wasn’t a Jew left in the region, and they would still spit at us from behind a veil of supposed superiority.
— Zombyboy: What We Owe Daniel Pearl, Nick Berg, Paul Johnson, and Kim Sun-il
I have long been convinced that these animals deserve no mercy nor compassion; that their removal from this world is a matter of self-defense and a necessary “evil,” and though I no longer consider them human I will stop yearning for their deaths when they stop wanting to bring us all into submission. And that wish, dear friends, is one that will go unanswered for a very long time.
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[...] More For Al Qaida The definitive blogger roundup on the latest beheading courtesy of Jay who is a bit perturbed about the whole thing. Me, I am not at all surprised. Give me [...]
Pingback by Mind of Mog » One More For Al Qaida — Jun 24, 2004 @ 7:35 am
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What We Owe Daniel Pearl, Nick Berg, Paul Johnson, and Kim Sun-il
What do we do in memory of Kim Sun-il, Daniel Pearl, Nick Berg, and Paul Johnson? Destroy the terrorists and…
Trackback by resurrectionsong — Jun 22, 2004 @ 5:01 pm
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Kim Sun-il Beheaded
Al Jazeera, ABC and Fox News have reported that South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il has been beheaded by terrorists in Iraq. Fox News showed a new video of terrorists standing behind the hostage reading a statement while he was apparently…
Trackback by Backcountry Conservative — Jun 22, 2004 @ 6:54 pm
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I agree. They may have been born human but they have chosen to become monsters.
Comment by Kathy K — Jun 22, 2004 @ 7:19 pm
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The link’s here:
http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2004/06/waiting.html
Just so you know, I wrote what I did because I wish to give them nothing; they want us to become what they are, and I will not walk even a step down that road. In the end, we are on the side of Good, and the terrorists are not. I require nothing else to continue.
The above is not a personal criticism of you; I don’t know what your own headspace is like, and I’m certainly not in a position to judge it. This is just what I’m using to motivate myself.
Comment by Moe Lane — Jun 23, 2004 @ 11:32 am
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Moe, point taken. It’s a different perspective, and I hope my disagreement did not come off as a personal criticism of what I read on your blog. I have been reading OW for a while now and though I don’t agree with everything you and your buddies write — and that would just bore me out of your blog anyway — I know that you know that we are on the side of good.
Perhaps I misread: the headspace uncertainty works both ways. I thank you for your comment, and for the civility with which you approached me.
Comment by OF Jay — Jun 23, 2004 @ 12:18 pm
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“Dehumanizing the enemy — at least in this case considering them to be savage animals — simplifies the matter of self-defense.”
Indeed it does, just like ignoring any complication of reality makes things simpler for us. However, to deliberately confuse or mislead ourselves, however much easier it is for us, is an utterly foolish and pointless activity.
Comment by Ellbur — Jun 23, 2004 @ 4:58 pm