Cypherpunks, the Sword of ICC Political Correctness

Blanc blancw at cnw.com
Mon Apr 9 00:41:30 PDT 2001


>From Tim May:

...The noble and enlightened Cypherpunks Brigade
(TM) members will be used to assist the ICC in the capture of
notorious international criminals. Several ex-Presidents of the
United States of America are now being sought for trial by the
fraternal and benevolent governments of Cuba, Zambia, Serbia, and
Myanmar. The lackeys who exploit the people have also been targeted
by UNESCO for arrest by the ICC.
.....


Good post, Tim.  "Good intentions" can end up biting one in the A.  It is
easier to imagine doing good works for humanity, than to imagine the true
consequences of those great plans.

It is almost moot that a criminal (as defined by those who have suffered
under his/her transgressions) would tried for their actions *after* the
fact, in particular in huge conflicts where much has been destroyed.  After
the fact, it doesn't bring back lost lives or futures or virginity.  It
might assuage some of the pain of loss in the conscience of those who feel
that "justice has been served".  But it would be much better if the victims
had been able to defend themselves, and been able to protect their property,
their life, and their dignity, at the time that they were being attacked,
rather than aiming for some kind of moral satisfaction of revenge, later.
No one has mentioned that this would be pertinent to future victims, as the
focus is on things which would have already been done.

It could conceivably be useful to have an international court if the nations
could agree on what a crime is, or what is a crime against humanity, or what
is a crime against an individual human being, or who has the right to judge
another for their actions, or who is qualified to judge, or who is qualified
to impose punishment, or qualified to decide what is appropriate punishment,
or who has the right to act upon their own judgement, anyway, and who has
the right to defend themselves without officially sanctioned assistance, and
whom do they have the right to defend themselves against.

If they could do that, it would be useful to The Whole World.

  ..
Blanc





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