5 ms·
Except those people may be overestimating (kindly) or pretending (unkindly) the harm they suffer from those attacks. To consider a defensive action as ethically
by glitchc 3y ago
Except those people may be overestimating (kindly) or pretending (unkindly) the harm they suffer from those attacks. To consider a defensive action as ethically sound, the defender must show real harm. Otherwise it's vulnerable to abuse and opens up lines of reasoning along the following statement (with gay and straight flipped around): "As a gay person, I hate straight people as they threaten my sexuality/orientation/way of life."
- aidenn0 3y agoEven this is difficult. There is a case to be made that Trump being president for 4 years caused predictable actual harm to some people. Does this mean that considering anybody who voted for Trump (and especially those who voted for him in 2020) is a legitimate target for hate? This is a non-hypothetical because I have heard this exact argument advanced without irony.
- 6D794163636F756 3y agoI think the legal concept of mens rea or a similar concept is applicable here. For example, I'm a type one diabetic and will cut off a friendship with people who vote republican because they agree I should not be able to afford insulin. My grandparents vote republican because taxes and don't consider the other effects. Basically it comes down to intent and knowledge for me. If causing harm is part of why someone voted a specific way I think that it's fair to hold them partially accountable for that harm then it is carried out.
- ifyoubuildit 3y ago> There is a case to be made that Trump being president for 4 years caused predictable actual harm to some people. How many presidents are there for whom this wouldn't be true? Are there any? You could probably expand this to most positions of any significant power.