American Charged with Treason

[Arrian]

No they weren't. They won.

-Arrian

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui




And stop being so silly to Spiffor, after all the American revolutionaries were traitors!

As were the confederacy. Much depends on the cause for which one is fighting now don't it?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
As were the confederacy. Much depends on the cause for which one is fighting now don't it?

Being a traitor doesn't depend on your cause. You're a traitor as soon as you fight against your own country, or aid your country's enemy, regardless of what cause you or your country are serving.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Spiff,

Not argueing that. In fact your defeinition fits the bill appropriately. My only point is there are traitors who are morally repugnant as well as traitors who are morally justified. Much of the moral judgment though is seen thorugh the prism of history.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
Not argueing that. In fact your defeinition fits the bill appropriately. My only point is there are traitors who are morally repugnant as well as traitors who are morally justified. Much of the moral judgment though is seen thorugh the prism of history.

Indeed, and the same can be said of loyalists. When I say "traitors ", I'm not seriously arguing that all traitors are good. However, I'm going against the perception that a traitor is necessarily bad. Something that was strong in this thread.

There is nothing inherently wrong with treason toward one's country. But we live in a world that sees each new traitor as scum (unless history ends up jusging him favourably). In such a world, being a traitor is not obvious, even if you oppose your country's choices.

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by Arrian
No they weren't. They won.

-Arrian

This is what happens if the current traitors win

[Chemical Ollie]

Oh no, too much skin showing on that arm there...

[General Ludd]

I consider myself a traitor to my country.

[Dis]

1 million dollar bounty? what a waste of money. This guy hasn't done anything wrong.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Being a traitor doesn't depend on your cause. You're a traitor as soon as you fight against your own country, or aid your country's enemy, regardless of what cause you or your country are serving.

"We will hang together or we will surely all hang seperately"

-Ben Franklin

[Dis]

if this guy took up arms it would be a different story, but propaganda? The U.S. does that. Freedom of speech and all that.

[SpencerH]

Of coorse this traitor only gets 2.5 years

A firebrand civil rights lawyer who has defended Black Panthers and anti-war radicals was sentenced Monday to nearly 2 1/2 years in prison - far less than the 30 years prosecutors wanted - for helping an imprisoned terrorist sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.

Lynne Stewart, 67, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl pronounced the sentence.

The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between the sheik and his followers that could have "potentially lethal consequences." He called the crimes "extraordinarily severe criminal conduct."

But in departing from federal guidelines that called for 30 years behind bars, he cited Stewart's more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients.

"Ms. Stewart performed a public service, not only to her clients, but to the nation," Koeltl said.

The judge said Stewart could remain free while she appeals, a process that could take more than a year.

http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/ap/2006/10/16/ap3095245.html

The judge calls it "extraordinarily severe criminal conduct" then gives her 2.5 years. Great!