Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Given the political orientation of the participants of this forum I was wondering in which direction does the wind blow here on the subject of the nuclear spy Jonathan Pollard. So I made a little poll. I know it's probably no use to ask, but let's try to keep it civil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 One of the secrets he sold was that the CIA paid Osama bin Laden to fight the Soviet Union back when they were occupying Afghanistan. Talk about a disgruntled former government employee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 Given the amount of people calling themselves humanists here, the starting results sure show a more authoritarian way of thinking, any comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Socialism is not incompatible with authoritarianism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Aoslare Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Socialism generally describes economic policies. This poll has nothing to do with economic policies. On the civil liberties question, people were much more in the middle. But I'm not sure this is really about authority vs. liberty. From my understanding of the issue, and my experience with people who have opinions about it, it basically breaks down to "which government do you support more?" and it isn't a philosophical question at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 So where would you put the subject of the role of prisons as correction/rehabilitation facilities vs. punitive facilities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Aoslare Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 On a different axis entirely. Authoritarianism/libertarianism doesn't really address the question of what attitude the government should take towards its citizens. Should it trust them and give them chances, or should it be harsh and draconian? Obviously, historical authoritarian governments have been harsh and draconian, but there are libertarians (and certainly socialists!) who advocate similar policies. For example, consider the classic legalism/confucianism dichotomy. Legalism was harsh and relatively authoritarian. Confucianism took a more benevolent and forgiving stance, but was also relatively authoritarian, or socially conservative at the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 If you are interested in "the role of prisons as correction/rehabilitation facilities vs. punitive facilities," then this is a bad test case and a bad poll. There's not even a "we should see whether he can be rehabilitated" option. Dikiyoba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Tyranicus Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Originally Posted By: Dikiyoba If you are interested in "the role of prisons as correction/rehabilitation facilities vs. punitive facilities," then this is a bad test case and a bad poll. There's not even a "we should see whether he can be rehabilitated" option. Dikiyoba. This. I didn't even bother answering the poll because I do not agree with any of the options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 I was under the impression he got life without chance of parole. So if there was an option of bringing him in front of a parole board, you would have voted for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast The Mystic Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Originally Posted By: Tyranicus I didn't even bother answering the poll because I do not agree with any of the options. Seconded. And even if I did agree with some of the options, I still wouldn't vote because I don't care for the subject matter in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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