Comments on: DISSENT: What’s the big deal? http://dissense.com/2009/11/dissent-whats-the-big-deal/ Only the most inreasonable ideas... Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:52:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Ryan http://dissense.com/2009/11/dissent-whats-the-big-deal/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Ryan Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:41:33 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=182#comment-11 I would not be opposed to the death penalty for rapists that don't kill their victims, no. If that puts me at odds with soft western liberalism, then so be it. (This is not to say that all rapists would deserve the death penalty--I just think a compelling argument can be made.) Of course the mere existence of something doesn't prove its rightness. I, for one, could envision many circumstances in which the draft could be brought back, and even welcomed by a majority of the citizenry. In any event, I would submit that any political community that can NEVER, because of confused and apolitical notions of "personal autonomy," summon and even in many instances compel collective efforts at self-preservation, does not deserve the consideration of serious people and citizens. I would not be opposed to the death penalty for rapists that don’t kill their victims, no. If that puts me at odds with soft western liberalism, then so be it. (This is not to say that all rapists would deserve the death penalty–I just think a compelling argument can be made.)

Of course the mere existence of something doesn’t prove its rightness. I, for one, could envision many circumstances in which the draft could be brought back, and even welcomed by a majority of the citizenry.

In any event, I would submit that any political community that can NEVER, because of confused and apolitical notions of “personal autonomy,” summon and even in many instances compel collective efforts at self-preservation, does not deserve the consideration of serious people and citizens.

]]> By: Felix York http://dissense.com/2009/11/dissent-whats-the-big-deal/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Felix York Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:29:24 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=182#comment-10 1. Do you actually support the death penalty for rapists who do not kill their victims? That very much would be a violation of the Eighth Amendment (or so it's been held) and out of sync with the values of every advanced society. 2. Your point concerning the existence of the draft is a classic naturalistic fallacy: just because something exists does not mean that it should exist or accords with our values. It has been many years since the United States has actually used the draft - and I bet if it were brought back today, it might not enjoy the same patriotic support that it once did. 1. Do you actually support the death penalty for rapists who do not kill their victims? That very much would be a violation of the Eighth Amendment (or so it’s been held) and out of sync with the values of every advanced society.

2. Your point concerning the existence of the draft is a classic naturalistic fallacy: just because something exists does not mean that it should exist or accords with our values. It has been many years since the United States has actually used the draft – and I bet if it were brought back today, it might not enjoy the same patriotic support that it once did.

]]>