4 ms·
>During the cold war, cozying up to the Russians the way Google is now sucking up to the Chinese would have been rated as treason. I am a huge critic of China'
by clubm8 8y ago
>During the cold war, cozying up to the Russians the way Google is now sucking up to the Chinese would have been rated as treason.
I am a huge critic of China's human rights record, but "treason" has a very specific legal definition. Doing trade with a country is not "treason".
- tempodox 8y agoWhat would be a better term in your opinion?
- mikejb 8y agoDoing business? How many US companies do business in China, and have at least some access/collection of Chinese users' data? Are they all traitors?
- tempodox 8y agoI was asking the question in the context of my comparison with the cold war era. Doing business with Russia then wouldn't have been called just “doing business” either, especially if it happened in support of practices diametrically opposed to our own professed values like Democracy and Freedom. How much of a sellout or a cynic do you have to be to call betraying those values for money merely “doing business”? (edit: added last sentence)
- afiler 8y agoEven during the cold war, Americans did business with Russia. No large computers or munitions, but Americans still ate Russian caviar. There was this call to boycott it at the same time as the Moscow olympics, but I don't think anyone called it "treason". https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/01/31/boycott-caviar/a1768462-9f6a-4f3e-a334-188e7ecd82b8/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/01/31/...
- ArchTypical 8y agoNobody was actively participating in oppressing the russian population during the cold war. This attempt to dance around the issue is transparent.
- mikejb 8y agoThe post you replied to is a direct answer to claims about trade between the US and Russia during the cold war.
- ArchTypical 8y agoThe post I replied to is making false equivalence comparisons. There's nothing subtle about the issue being circumvented.
- mikejb 8y agoThe equivalence comparison wasn't made by the post you replied to, but by it's parent.
- ArchTypical 8y ago> Even during the cold war, Americans did business with Russia ie A false equivalence. Me selling flags to Russians is doing business. That has nothing to do with the issue of what constitutes or can be construed as Treason which is certain kinds of business that ally against national interests.
- mikejb 8y agoWhen the United States have to choose between their professed values like Democracy and Freedom, and economical benefits in the US, what do you think took preference? Spoiler: US-backed military leaders and dictators weren't pushed to power because they promised to support those values. US companies profited of that, and by that, the US economy.
- adoago 8y agoThat's on you, dog. You're the one misusing the term: >“Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.”
- prolikewh0a 8y agoPlease consider watching this excellent Glenn Greenwald & James Risen debate over the usage of the word 'treason' and how dangerous it is to use it incorrectly. Greenwald cites prime US legal examples throughout history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsY70_uIXNc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsY70_uIXNc