Comments for Archipelagoes http://www.iangarrickmason.com A miscellany on politics and culture by Ian Garrick Mason Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:43:38 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Banner image by Banner image: Kevin Cooley « sans everything http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/03/banner-image/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Banner image: Kevin Cooley « sans everything Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:43:38 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=162#comment-83 [...] sea and ice, its naked ruggedness. Canadian photographer David Burdeny (I briefly wrote about him here) captures its spirit very effectively in majestic tones of grey and blue, but Kevin Cooley of [...] [...] sea and ice, its naked ruggedness. Canadian photographer David Burdeny (I briefly wrote about him here) captures its spirit very effectively in majestic tones of grey and blue, but Kevin Cooley of [...]

]]> Comment on We’re doin’ it for the kids by Ian Garrick Mason http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/04/were-doin-it-for-the-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Ian Garrick Mason Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:31:35 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-65 Well argued, Sylvia (as expected!). I have to admit that I find this the toughest subject to debate, first because every situation is unique and often awful enough that war can seem in good faith to be the lesser evil, and second because I'm debating against good people who care passionately about human welfare. I'll try to return to this topic later, but for now you've given me some tough food for thought, and I appreciate that. Well argued, Sylvia (as expected!). I have to admit that I find this the toughest subject to debate, first because every situation is unique and often awful enough that war can seem in good faith to be the lesser evil, and second because I’m debating against good people who care passionately about human welfare. I’ll try to return to this topic later, but for now you’ve given me some tough food for thought, and I appreciate that.

]]> Comment on We’re doin’ it for the kids by Sylvia http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/04/were-doin-it-for-the-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Sylvia Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:31:04 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-63 By the way, I don't believe for a minute that the war was started to free the women. It was a selling point, but against the grain of history it actually happened, albeit not completely or permanently, yet. By the way, I don’t believe for a minute that the war was started to free the women. It was a selling point, but against the grain of history it actually happened, albeit not completely or permanently, yet.

]]> Comment on We’re doin’ it for the kids by Sylvia http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/04/were-doin-it-for-the-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Sylvia Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:57:24 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-62 No omelettes here! Bombing is not a solution, as the resurgence of the Taliban shows. My contention is just that the Taliban are far worse than the war. This does not go for Iraq—it was a far more advance country. But there was not much you could do to make Afghanistan worse than it was, particularly for women. Women's pelvises were breaking in childbirth because they got no exposure to sunlight, ever, and so they were deficient in vitamin D and their bones were Swiss cheese. Afghan men, women, and children were already starving and dying and being executed in the most grisly ways. We just didn't see it on CNN. It was no agrarian idyll, it was a hell to rival any that war can conjure. No omelettes here! Bombing is not a solution, as the resurgence of the Taliban shows. My contention is just that the Taliban are far worse than the war. This does not go for Iraq—it was a far more advance country. But there was not much you could do to make Afghanistan worse than it was, particularly for women. Women’s pelvises were breaking in childbirth because they got no exposure to sunlight, ever, and so they were deficient in vitamin D and their bones were Swiss cheese. Afghan men, women, and children were already starving and dying and being executed in the most grisly ways. We just didn’t see it on CNN. It was no agrarian idyll, it was a hell to rival any that war can conjure.

]]> Comment on We’re doin’ it for the kids by Ian Garrick Mason http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/04/were-doin-it-for-the-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Ian Garrick Mason Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:03:59 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-61 Thanks for your thoughts. Everyone agrees that women's rights are human rights. But I have to say that your argument is coming rather close to the "you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs" line of justification. I'd be more sympathetic to that if we were waging this war on our own territory (imagine a 500 pound bomb falling on your neighbor's house in the cause of bringing his family and yours improved human rights), but we're inflicting this violence on their land, and their families. It's just too easy for us, too cost free, to state our preference for war over there while we sit safely at home. War -- by bringing with it violence, fear, thuggery, poverty, famine, and disease -- is the ultimate denial of human rights. And making human rights a justification for war is hardly more civilized than using religion for the same. People with big armies almost always think they're doing other countries a favour by invading and "improving" them. They're hardly ever right. Thanks for your thoughts.

Everyone agrees that women’s rights are human rights. But I have to say that your argument is coming rather close to the “you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs” line of justification. I’d be more sympathetic to that if we were waging this war on our own territory (imagine a 500 pound bomb falling on your neighbor’s house in the cause of bringing his family and yours improved human rights), but we’re inflicting this violence on their land, and their families. It’s just too easy for us, too cost free, to state our preference for war over there while we sit safely at home.

War — by bringing with it violence, fear, thuggery, poverty, famine, and disease — is the ultimate denial of human rights. And making human rights a justification for war is hardly more civilized than using religion for the same. People with big armies almost always think they’re doing other countries a favour by invading and “improving” them. They’re hardly ever right.

]]> Comment on We’re doin’ it for the kids by islandbookworm http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/04/were-doin-it-for-the-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-60 islandbookworm Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:44:46 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-60 War kills a few girls, but the Taliban would prevent *all* of them from going to school and consign *all* women to a life of misery. Personally I think the "war on terror" is far, far better than the Taliban's war on women. Women's rights are human rights. War kills a few girls, but the Taliban would prevent *all* of them from going to school and consign *all* women to a life of misery. Personally I think the “war on terror” is far, far better than the Taliban’s war on women.

Women’s rights are human rights.

]]> Comment on Time enough for tweets by Ian Garrick Mason http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/03/time-enough-for-tweets/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Ian Garrick Mason Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:49:41 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=149#comment-56 Nicely put! Nicely put!

]]> Comment on Time enough for tweets by Sylvia http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/03/time-enough-for-tweets/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Sylvia Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:03:57 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=149#comment-53 You're quite right—us old fogies ( i.e. anyone over 35) got distracted just fine before Twitter and email thank you very much! ;) I think one thing that has changed—and what you write here points to it—is that we now have higher standards for what we give our attention to. It's not that we can't sit and read the paper from beginning to end, it's just not necessarily the best use of our time and energy. We demand more quality and quantity because we know it's out there. Well, since you're not on Twitter I tweeted this. ;) You’re quite right—us old fogies ( i.e. anyone over 35) got distracted just fine before Twitter and email thank you very much! ;) I think one thing that has changed—and what you write here points to it—is that we now have higher standards for what we give our attention to. It’s not that we can’t sit and read the paper from beginning to end, it’s just not necessarily the best use of our time and energy. We demand more quality and quantity because we know it’s out there.

Well, since you’re not on Twitter I tweeted this. ;)

]]> Comment on Théâtres Sans Frontières by Islamabad http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2008/09/theatres-sans-frontieres/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Islamabad Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:56:55 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=112#comment-37 those colleges should not be closed those colleges should not be closed

]]> Comment on Signing up by pochp http://www.iangarrickmason.com/2009/01/signing-up/comment-page-1/#comment-52 pochp Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:56:24 +0000 http://iangarrickmason.wordpress.com/?p=142#comment-52 I wonder if being a mercenary would be better considering the economy were in. I wonder if being a mercenary would be better considering the economy were in.

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