September 11, 2001

[Elioenai26]

Most of us remember where we were and what we were doing on that eventful day in history. Most of us were able to follow the events as they happened live on television, if not in person. The events on that day caused the lives of nearly three thousand people to be snuffed out in a matter of hours.

Initially, it was not known as to why these events took place, but days after the dust settled, it became evident that a radical group of adherents to a particular worldview claimed responsibility for the acts.

The people involved in perpetrating these acts sincerely believed that what they were doing was right and noble. So much so, that they were willing to give their lives to see the plan carried out.

The question I have is this: "were the acts committed on that day by these people wrong, or were they justified in doing what they did because they though it was right?"

I am interested in hearing everyone's views regarding this matter.

 

[juvenissun]

Most of us remember where we were and what we were doing on that eventful day in history. Most of us were able to follow the events as they happened live on television, if not in person. The events on that day caused the lives of nearly three thousand people to be snuffed out in a matter of hours.

Initially, it was not known as to why these events took place, but days after the dust settled, it became evident that a radical group of adherents to a particular worldview claimed responsibility for the acts.

The people involved in perpetrating these acts sincerely believed that what they were doing was right and noble. So much so, that they were willing to give their lives to see the plan carried out.

The question I have is this: "were the acts committed on that day by these people wrong, or were they justified in doing what they did because they though it was right?"

I am interested in hearing everyone's views regarding this matter.

Right or wrong has to be measured by a standard. There are many standards. So your question is which standard should be used to measure their act.

From the standard of Christianity, of course they are wrong.

 

[Eudaimonist]

The question I have is this: "were the acts committed on that day by these people wrong, or were they justified in doing what they did because they though it was right?"

I don't think that what people "think is right" automatically makes the action right. Perhaps one can excuse people for doing what they think is right if they don't know any better, but that doesn't make their actions right.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Genersis]

I don't think that what people "think is right" automatically makes the action right. Perhaps one can excuse people for doing what they think is right if they don't know any better, but that doesn't make their actions right.


eudaimonia,

Mark

This.

 

[Gadarene]

The question I have is this: "were the acts committed on that day by these people wrong, or were they justified in doing what they did because they though it was right?"

Most people think it is wrong, they thought it was right.

They committed the attacks because they see American civilians as complicit in the actions of their government abroad via democracy and public support for the war. Arguably though randomly slaughtering them is not the best way of targeting people who supported America's actions abroad and just causes unnecessary harm, so I would argue it is wrong in that sense.

 

[Elioenai26]

I don't think that what people "think is right" automatically makes the action right. Perhaps one can excuse people for doing what they think is right if they don't know any better, but that doesn't make their actions right.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Thank you kindly for your reply. I am gathering different views for some research I am doing and appreciate your input.

However, you did not clearly give an answer to the question. The question is: do you think they were wrong or do you think they were justified in doing what they did?

 

[Elioenai26]

Most people think it is wrong, they thought it was right.

They committed the attacks because they see American civilians as complicit in the actions of their government abroad via democracy and public support for the war. Arguably though randomly slaughtering them is not the best way of targeting people who supported America's actions abroad and just causes unnecessary harm, so I would argue it is wrong in that sense.

Are you saying they were wrong because they could have chosen a more effective way of getting their point across?

 

[Gadarene]

Are you saying they were wrong because they could have chosen a more effective way of getting their point across?

Mainly because the way they chose resulted in a great deal of needless harm. I don't think it was their only option, no. They deliberately decided to act against a civilian population, treating them as extensions of a state.

 

[Elioenai26]

Mainly because the way they chose resulted in a great deal of needless harm. I don't think it was their only option, no. They deliberately decided to act against a civilian population, treating them as extensions of a state.

Is it not more plausible, that the main reason they chose to do what they did was because they wanted to create a great deal of harm? Or are you just saying that the murder of over 2,800 people was just incidental to their plans?

 

[Gadarene]

Is it not more plausible, that the main reason they chose to do what they did was because they wanted to create a great deal of harm?

I didn't say anything about their reason for doing so. I was talking about the basis I have for saying that what they did was wrong.

Let's make no mistake here, a lot of America's foreign policy decisions in the Middle East are also pretty wrong under the same criterion of examination of the consequences, and how they disproportionately affect civilian populations - heck, even recent foreign policy decisions have been that bad, Obama's postmortem reclassification of male civilians killed by drones as enemy combatants spring to mind.

Al-Qaeda may have seen their attack as no different to what America has systematically been doing to the middle east, but ultimately I think they wanted to benefit their country - they expressed that intent in the wrong way however and ended up making things worse for a couple of countries in the Middle East.

 

[Eudaimonist]

However, you did not clearly give an answer to the question. The question is: do you think they were wrong or do you think they were justified in doing what they did?

They were wrong to kill innocent civilians. It was a barbaric act. As bad as American foreign policy may be, they were unjustified, IMJ.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[quatona]

Most of us remember where we were and what we were doing on that eventful day in history. Most of us were able to follow the events as they happened live on television, if not in person. The events on that day caused the lives of nearly three thousand people to be snuffed out in a matter of hours.

Initially, it was not known as to why these events took place, but days after the dust settled, it became evident that a radical group of adherents to a particular worldview claimed responsibility for the acts.

The people involved in perpetrating these acts sincerely believed that what they were doing was right and noble. So much so, that they were willing to give their lives to see the plan carried out.

The question I have is this: "were the acts committed on that day by these people wrong, or were they justified in doing what they did because they though it was right?"

I am interested in hearing everyone's views regarding this matter.

They believed that their acts were approved by god (after all, they weren´t evil atheists) - so they must have been right.

 

[Elioenai26]

Thank you all for your honest and sincere replies. They are greatly appreciated.

 

[Murmur]

I think they were doing the right thing when they flew those planes.

We also know the US had intel on this attack SIX MONTHS before it ever happened, so it's our government's fault as well.

 

[MorkandMindy]

When the US killed a thousand times as many in Vietnam the US just said 'it was a mistake, the domino theory was wrong'.

Everyone should be let off for an honest mistake so I'm sure if Bin Laden said 911 was a mistake then everyone would just say 'then it is OK, try not to do it again'.

 

[Skavau]

I think they were doing the right thing when they flew those planes.

We also know the US had intel on this attack SIX MONTHS before it ever happened, so it's our government's fault as well.

Did you mean to suggest that you thought killing thousands of innocent people at random was the "right thing"? Or were you referring to them thinking they were doing the right thing?

 

[KCfromNC]

The question I have is this: "were the acts committed on that day by these people wrong, or were they justified in doing what they did because they though it was right?"

I objectively don't accept personal revelation from god as a valid source of morality, so I can believe those actions were wrong. Theists may have a tougher time arguing the same since they're stuck trying to rationalize their subjective view of morality in these situations.

 

[Elioenai26]

These replies that we are observing here are so revealing about the current postmodern train of thought that it should be evident to all.

To even insinuate that what happened on that fateful day was in any way justifiable and then to light heartedly speak about it in a trivial fashion is a testimony to the hardness of men's hearts.

Wow guys.... wow...

 

[Gadarene]

These replies that we are observing here are so revealing about the current postmodern train of thought that it should be evident to all.

To even insinuate that what happened on that fateful day was in any way justifiable and then to light heartedly speak about it in a trivial fashion is a testimony to the hardness of men's hearts.

Wow guys.... wow...

Argument from disbelief?

 

[Elioenai26]

Argument from disbelief?

Excuse me?