I am wanting to compile a list of the most devastating and evil violent crimes committed by the U.S. government. It could be something to share with statists who believe the U.S. is only militant for reasons of self-defense, or through strong moral inclination. I would prefer emphasis on unprovoked attacks, against people who can hardly be considered evil.
If anyone here would like to help by listing examples, it would be greatly appreciated!
The slaughter of the Cheroke comes to mind. Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki pale in comparison.
Keynes must've been a fan of Brave New World; why else would he write a book about its economics?
The Civil War comes to mind. In spite of what your teacher may have told you, it wasn't done for slavery, but for economic power. It directly violated the implicit agreement that states could secede from the union.
When you say US Government, I am tempted to add taxation (confiscating most of everyone's wealth, if they are not part of the government), coercive monopolization/cartelization, indian massacres, etc. There are many examples on this site, the problem is that many people would classify this as self-defense or strong moral inclination, or find another excuse.
Otherwise, they will admit that government is bad, but quote the saying that democracy, while bad, is better than anything else.
Schools are labour camps.
The firebombing of Tokyo
The napalming of Vietnam
The rape of the Philippines through torture and mass killing
Repressing the Hawaiian rebellion for big business interests.
Really you have to give a time period or this list will keep going.
'It is difficult to imagine any normal person wishing to meet Marx for a third time.' - Alexander Gray, The Socialist Tradition
All the Indian Wars / Trail Of Tears
Democracy is nothing more than replacing bullets with ballots
If Pro is the opposite of Con. What is the opposite of Progress?
-Bombing of Dresden
-USS Liberty coverup
-Gulf of Tonkin incident
-Overthrow of Mohammed Mossadegh/about 20 other regimes
I think he was looking for crimes of the US.
Dresden was fire bombed by the British while the US focused on Hamburg and Cologne. (We did re-bomb Dresden a couple of days later though just for good measure).
The USS Liberty was bombed by the Israeli's.
The Gulf of Tonkin incident was a fabrication.
Mohammed Mossadegh was overthrown by his own people. The CIA encouraged and supported one of the opposition factions, but the Iranians themselves actually did the deed.
DBratton: I think he was looking for crimes of the US. Dresden was fire bombed by the British while the US focused on Hamburg and Cologne. (We did re-bomb Dresden a couple of days later though just for good measure). The USS Liberty was bombed by the Israeli's. The Gulf of Tonkin incident was a fabrication. Mohammed Mossadegh was overthrown by his own people. The CIA encouraged and supported one of the opposition factions, but the Iranians themselves actually did the deed.
Yeah, Dresden was the British, but I'm assuming it would apply just as well to the people he's trying to convince, as US war crimes would.
That's why I said the USS Libery cover up, not the bombing itself.
A fabrication created by the US to justify 50 000 American deaths and countless more Vietnamese deaths.
When the CIA funds and distributes false propaganda, as well as engaging in terrorist action to blame on an enemy...I consider that a war crime.
February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church. Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."
Seph:When the CIA funds and distributes false propaganda, as well as engaging in terrorist action to blame on an enemy...I consider that a war crime.
In this case the propaganda wasn't false. Mossadegh really was cozying up to the Soviets and planning to nationalize the oil fields. The CIA didn't engage in any terrorist activities during that operation either that I know of. Though they were heavily involved in training the Shah's secret police for years after the coup.
Please be more specific. Do you mean single act, abhorrent even by warfare standards, or "big scale crimes"?
Single acts are way too numerous to mention: My Lai is the first that springs to mind together with Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Fallujah etc but just because they are recent news. God only know how many single atrocities were silently approved or downright ordered during the Indian Wars, the War with Mexico, the occupation of Cuba etc.
But large scale crimes... there's one I cannot condone and it's the belief that you have an higher authority to cram "democracy" or whatever other high sounding value down other people's throats. And this mass of bamboozled cretins still buy it: we are in Afghanistan to spread democracy, to give children chocolate and to defend women right. That's the worst crime in my opinion.
Yes, it's time for the Dr Goebbels show!
The atomic bombs were pretty nasty, but I would say by far it is the 500 million killed by small arms exported around the world by the government.
Keith Ackermann:but I would say by far it is the 500 million killed by small arms exported around the world by the government.
Selling weapons is not a crime.
Laughing Man: Selling weapons is not a crime.
The selling of the weapons themselves isn't the crime. Though obtaining the weapons through extortion and distributing them around the world to serve their own political interests is a crime.
socialdtk:Though obtaining the weapons through extortion and distributing them around the world to serve their own political interests is a crime.
Obtaining them through taxation, yes a crime. Who they send them to, not a crime.
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