Re: Oriana Fallaci- Woman of the Year


"Kevin Lowe" <me@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:me-9E0123.19521931122005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> In article <WJjtf.134640$V7.6023@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "GreenDistantStar" <GreenNOSPAMdistantstar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> "Mark Goldberg" <msgoldberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:Pactf.10057$L75.151@xxxxxxxxxxx
>> > This was awarded by Frontpage Mag.com to her.
>> > She is a fascinating woman, a real warrior, a real tough broad, and a
>> > fighter. She likely won't live to see 2007 and I'm glad she's getting
>> > the
>> > accolades so long deserved.
>
>> "At the age of 14, Oriana received an
>> honorable discharge from the Italian army (Arico, 1986, p. 587) "
>>
>> Nothing I could say could add to that.
>
> Although to be fair, when people we don't like involve teenage girls in
> an insurgency Mark thinks that makes them the worst people in the world.
> When allies do it he thinks it demonstrates moral fiber almost beyond
> belief on the part of the children.

Theology aside, I don't think there's a moral equivalence between taking
innocent life for a 'cause' and resisting genocidal oppression.

> Teenagers are dumb and up for almost anything, always have been, always
> will be. Sometimes that makes them fight for things we like, sometimes
> it makes them fight for things we don't like, but in any case I don't
> find it extraordinary. It's just part of human nature for teenagers to
> do that.

I have no idea of her exact role in the resistance, but I imagine wasn't a
gun-totin' macho type of thing that is often used to connive vulnerable
young minds into committing atrocities, as we've seen all too often in too
many places.
I just think she was extraordinarily brave in a time when the consequences
of bravery were often a slow, agonising death. At such a young age, it was
extraordinary behaviour...imho anyway.

> Which isn't to say that anybody who stood up against fascism isn't a
> heroic person regardless of their age at the time.

Of course, but plenty of adults didn't find the balls to do what a kid did.

Just that we
> shouldn't be terribly surprised that teenagers did so, or think that
> that "our" teenagers are somehow super-special when they do so. There
> have been child soldiers in all sorts of times and places.

Sure. As a humanist I find this argument compelling....but I'll run with
this a bit more... :)

So where is the moral difference between the proud parents of their child
who has just joined the Hitler Youth and the 13 year old Italian resistance
fighter? Only by analysis of their respective causes can we get an answer?

GDS






.

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