"A stunning victory."

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Boreas

We can disagree with what they were without one of us being an anti-Semite. That's the point, Ike.

Or an anti-Muslim racist. That's also the point, john.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Or an anti-Muslim racist. That's also the point, john.

Of course but anti-Semitism and Islamophobia exist so, if someone repeatedly refers to one or the other group as "bugs" (or "grass"), you have to begin to wonder about them.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Of course but anti-Semitism and Islamophobia exist so, if someone repeatedly refers to one or the other group as "bugs" (or "grass"), you have to begin to wonder about them.

Here we go again. Boko Haram has proven itself to be sub-human scum. Roaches. Vermin, etc., etc. The women and young girls they grabbed the other day are already raped and dead or soon to be. The boys are either dead, soon to be dead, or future Boko Haram.

So...my intervention is cluster bombs and moabs. The hostages are already dead. It's time for the vermin to be dead as well.

Wonder what you will. Call me what you will.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Here we go again. Boko Haram has proven itself to be sub-human scum. Roaches. Vermin, etc., etc. The women and young girls they grabbed the other day are already raped and dead or soon to be. The boys are either dead, soon to be dead, or future Boko Haram.

So...my intervention is cluster bombs and moabs. The hostages are already dead. It's time for the vermin to be dead as well.

Wonder what you will. Call me what you will.

Clearly, you're not a believer in redemption.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Clearly, you're not a believer in redemption.

Au contraire, mon frere. I strongly believe in redemption. But here's the thing about redemption. It only matters to humans. The beasts don't need no fucking redemption. The beasts are honorable and have integrity. It's built in.

Humans on the other hand often require redemption, and also by their frequent inhumanity towards other humans and beasts, by their proof of being sub-human, some have disqualified themselves from redemption.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Au contraire, mon frere. I strongly believe in redemption. But here's the thing about redemption. It only matters to humans. The beasts don't need no fucking redemption. The beasts are honorable and have integrity. It's built in.

Humans on the other hand often require redemption, and also by their frequent inhumanity towards other humans and beasts, by their proof of being sub-human, some have disqualified themselves from redemption.

So, which are the ISIS fighters? Are they humans capable of redemption or are they beasts with honor and integrity?

By the way, there's some agreement between us here (if you'll acknowledge it). The capacity to commit the sorts of atrocities committed by ISIS is an uniquely human characteristic. No other creature on earth has our capacity for anything remotely resembling the sorts of depraved acts we commit on a daily basis.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Boreas

So, which are the ISIS fighters? Are they humans capable of redemption or are they beasts with honor and integrity?

Y'know...I picked Boko Haram for the context because I hoped we might have this discussion with somewhat limited variables. But OK, John it's gotta be your context. I get it. ISIS it is. In answer to your question they're neither. Humans, even the best of them have nothing approaching the honor and integrity of the lowliest beast. ISIS members are probably currently the worst of what we might otherwise call human beings, next to Boko Haram anyway. So the choices you offered are mildly loaded dontcha think? But anyway, if they don't qualify as honorable beasts, that leaves humans capable of redemption. You really think, after ISIS takes these innocent people out onto the beach and hacks their heads of with a butter knife I'm going to think they're flawed humans worthy of redemption? Members of ISIS, every stinking one of them are sub-human, and certainly sub-beast scum. It's cluster bombs for all of them when I'm President. And I'll take it a step further John...anybody who supports them in any way is just as bad.

Originally Posted by Boreas

By the way, there's some agreement between us here (if you'll acknowledge it). The capacity to commit the sorts of atrocities committed by ISIS is an uniquely human characteristic. No other creature on earth has our capacity for anything remotely resembling the sorts of depraved acts we commit on a daily basis.

Of course. It's to the point where human existence on this planet is a depraved act. At best, humans are locusts with intelligence and technology. (So am I saying locusts aren't noble beasts? Maybe so, eh?) My fear in acknowledging this is that we're going to end up playing some semantical game with the terms I've chosen to use...human...inhuman...subhuman. So if this starts heading there, all I'm going to have to say on it is...you know where I'm coming from.