Beware Unintentional Moral Equivalencies!

[LeoCasey@xxxxxxx]

In his posting Chris B. juxtaposes two statements, true in and of themselves,
in a way that suggests (probably unintentionally) a moral equivalency which
is utterly false.

1. Statement One:
In the course of their liberation struggles individual militants of both the
ANC and SWAPO were responsible for the perpetration of atrocities.

This is true, but not the complete story. The ANC owned up to the atrocities,
and took action to ensure that they would not recur. (I am not sure about
SWAPO, but they may very well have done the same.) Moreover, these acts were
isolated events, and never part of a organized, pervasive campaign of terror
and murder.

2. Statement Two:
The Shining Path has engaged in atrocities.

Again true, but rather incomplete. The Shining Path has pursued a strategy of
terror and murder, and has implemented it in an organized and methodical
fashion.

Thus, despite the connection in Chris' presentation, there is a world of
difference between the ANC and SWAPO, on the one hand, and the Shining Path
and their kissing cousins, the Khymer Rouge, on the other hand.


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