Quote:
Originally Posted by Moejoe
Whatever the fight may be, under whichever flag, upon whatever soil, my allegiance is always with those under the thumb, not those who press down from above.
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That is something I can agree with.
As far as WW2, it's an example I picked because I felt it was far and above the conflict where most people would feel it was necessary to become involved. As far as the boat to France, I meant it simply as the nearest Nazi held place to GB.
Sparrow - You have defined the very essence of the problem. I could, with very strong conviction, argue against either a yes or a no answer... and indeed against a maybe!
omk3 - That's a very interesting proposal. I think I might end up on a very small island as the only person in my country...
Perhaps this will help explain things.
As a UK subject would you join the war effort if...
1. Nazi Germany invades the UK
2. Nazi Germany invades France
3. Nazi Germany invades Poland
4. Nazi Germany declares that it is starting to train troops and stockpile arms to invade the UK
5. Nazi Germany declares that it is starting to train troops and stockpile arms to invade the France
6. Nazi Germany declares that it is starting to train troops and stockpile arms to invade Poland
7. Nazi Germany declares that it is starting to train troops and stockpile arms to annex a small part of Poland
I hope it's not too much of an assumption to say that we would all join the war effort for 1, but that by 7 most of us would not.
My point is that if we don't do number 7 because 80% of the population object... then do we do 4 when 50% object? Can we do 2 when 5% object?
If we go to war when 5% object then why is it fair for members of my family to die, but members of another family who disagree with the war not to die. Surely everybody must sacrifice, and put themselves at risk of death for it to be fair.
If we force people to fight when they object to it then are we not monsters on the same level as the Nazis? Or is exiling and deporting them, and directly putting them into Nazi hands an equally cruel or even worse act?
If we don't go to war because 15% object and 85% want to, then how is that fair on the 85%? Won't they then argue that war is inevitable and more loss of life will occur because of waiting? Or would they argue that by not going to war we are permitting the Nazis to murder at will across Poland, France, etc.
It's one of those philosophical/moral dilemas with no right answer that everybody agrees with. If we don't stand together and form some sort of government then we'll be killed/stolen from etc one by one. If we do group together then we need to make some form of compromise.
My point, if it is at all clear, is that there are no simple answers.