According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, being 'conscious' means being "awake
and able to understand what is happening around you."
And 'conscience' is defined as "the part of the mind that makes you aware of
your actions as being either morally right or wrong."
People who have no conscience because they are unconscious due to no fault of
their own can hardly be criticized for their lack of morality __ e.g. the brain dead,
coma victims.
People who are fully conscious but have no conscience are often referred to as sociopaths.
People who are fully conscious but choose to have no conscience might be categorized
as full-blown psychopaths.
My quandary is how do we deal with people who are fully conscious,
basically stable and mentally sound, have a conscience, but who ignore
what that conscience is saying to them.
# Native Americans slaughtered and dispossessed of their land: Tens of thousands.
# Vietnamese killed in unnecessary and unsuccessful Vietnam War: 882,000
# America soldiers killed in unnecessary and unsuccessful Vietnam War: 58,220
# innocent citizens killed by death squads of U.S. backed El Salvador government: 35,000.
# innocent citizens killed by death squads of U.S. backed Guatemala government: 60,000.
# Iraqi children starved to death by U.S. sanctions 1993-2000: 500,000.
# Iraqi citizens killed in illegal and unjustified Iraq War: Over 460,000.
# innocent citizens killed in illegal drone warfare (Pakistan, Yemen): 400-600
# innocent people killed (so far) in Eastern Ukraine by U.S. installed coup government, one which includes neo-Nazis: Almost 2600.
# innocent people about to be killed in Iraq War 3: To be announced.
"No man is an island . . . ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
Riiiiight! No man is an island. Great stuff. Ha ha. Totally! I hear ya, babe!
Boo hoo hoo. Anyone with a violin up for playing "Hearts and Flowers"?
"Exactly what's your point, John Rachel? . . .
. . . are you in the running for this year's Bleeding Heart Liberal Award?
Mother Theresa and all that cow poop. Maybe you and Bono can do tequila
shots in the back of his limo."
Hmm. What's this about?
Oh, now I remember!
I'm not in a coma.
[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]
