Politicizing Death - TranceAddict Forums

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Posted by Arbiter on Aug-06-2003 07:24:

Politicizing Death

I was going to prepare a lengthy diatribe against those who use the deaths of others for political purposes, but instead I will merely pose a simple question. Answer if you want, or choose not to if that is your preference. But whatever you do, I beg you seriously consider its implications rather than merely ignoring it and continuing with your cookie-cutter modern political debates.

Do you think the political dramatization of individual deaths or injuries is an acceptable practice?

Consider the indirect effects this dramatization has: would Saddam have stationed major military targets near hospitals and major population centers were it not for the prevalence of this phenomenon? Probably not, it would serve no purpose if he could not use the resulting deaths as political or "moral" leverage. Thoughts?

Posted by TranceGiant on Aug-07-2003 11:37:

Re: Politicizing Death

quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter

Do you think the political dramatization of individual deaths or injuries is an acceptable practice?

No. Couldn't even find one single pro- argument, either.

Posted by occrider on Aug-07-2003 15:58:

Agreed ... you're capitalizing on the tradegy of others.

Posted by Alccode on Aug-08-2003 21:41:

Depends on what the context is. If it's a dramatized death for something already wrong like the Iraq war, then sure, that's bad.

But if it's a single case for something worthwhile, especially if it concerns the lives of more people, a dramatization that would open people's eyes with its effect, then who is to say that the loss of one life counters the loss of many more?

Here's a hypothetical example: prior to the recent Liberian fiasco, no one really cared about what was (and is) happening in Africa, which is much worse than Iraq IMO. Let's say that there was a big news story dramatizing the severe crippling of a young African boy due to a multi-warlord battle that ended up frying his village. And let's say this caused international attention to spike and with it, the hope for improvement. Would that dramatization be exploiting the tragedy of others?