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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   35619 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of June 9, 2025

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Some people think "self-defense" can only begin once you already got punched, or stabbed, or shot. If somebody takes out a gun, aims at you, shouts "I'm going to kill you, motherfucker!", and tries to press the trigger, but you're quicker on the draw and shoot first - you're the "aggressor". Or at least they pretend to think so when Israel is concerned. Of course, there are also plain old antisemites for which Israel is bad in any case, and they are just need to find the reason why.

Some people think "self-defense" can only begin once you already got punched, or stabbed, or shot.

You have a very appropriate username for that. Having Han shoot first or second was a deliberate choice that Lucas famously went back on.

If a little child tells you, "When I grow up, I will kill you", when are you allowed to kill him in self-defense? When he says that? When he starts learning about guns and toxins and explosives? When he makes his first unexpected attempt on your life? When he reaches the age of criminal responsibility?

If a little child tells you, "When I grow up, I will kill you", when are you allowed to kill him in self-defense?

There are a lot of caselaw considering the question of imminent danger.

The case here though is more like the kid grew up, tried to kill you many times, with guns, toxins and explosives, and this time showed up at your door with some friends, all wielding firearms and shouting "we will finish the job this time!".

Are we still talking about Palestine?

Yes. Palestinian children, to be precise.

I've not heard of Israel killing every Palestinian child who says "when I grow up, I will kill you", or anything to that effect.

Of course, it's "their child soldiers weaponized and brainwashed by propaganda - our lads providing assistance to our guerillas". It's hard to have read the accounts (even if fictional) of Soviet children helping resist the German occupation during WW2 and not have some respect for the child soldier. But the respect comes with tacit understanding that once you pick up the pistol or carry intelligence for the military, the German can kill you and be no more in the wrong than killing your soldiers in general.

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