[josephg]

Yep, I agree that they should have stopped by now.

> Sure, maybe the 8 year old did in fact kick you in the shin and spit on you. I still expect the adult to act with a higher moral standard.

Nah. Morality isn’t just for when it’s convenient. I find it kind of racist to liken Palestine to children. They know what they were doing when they went on a killing spree on October 7. Just like Israel did when they bombed peoples homes.

[wredcoll]

They're not a child in this analogy because they lack the knowledge of right and wrong, but because they lack power.

To relitigate this analogy, it is morally wrong for the child to kick you in the shin, but it's far more useful to worry about the actions the adults are taking because, again, they have most of the power.

[josephg]

Hamas had more than enough power on October 7 to murder and kidnap a whole lot of people. They also have the funding and power to build a network of tunnels under Gaza which has so far thwarted the IDF's capacity to find the kidnapped civilians and bring them home.

They're not all-powerful. But thats cold comfort to everyone who lost loved ones in the attack. They sure kicked Israel in the teeth.

[wredcoll]

Yes, obviously, but my point is that focusing on them, or even treating them as equal, is not the most effective way to actually solve the problem.

Designating someone as a "bad person" and then focusing on punishing them is simple and feels good. It's just not effective.