http://www.englishforums.com/English/ControversialTopics/Forum28.htm<font color=red>This entire section is moderated</font><br> Dedicated to continual re-education and our search for a broader understanding of life. Please register if you wish to post here.enXMOD (Build: 3614.32638)http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#113763Sun, 24 May 2009 10:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:113763robbie0http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#113763http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-113763.xmlNo different from spending $300 to help someone out some other way. Should have kept it to himself though.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#110414Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:110414Josh20051http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#110414http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-110414.xmlI guess the question has more implications than we might think of. On the one hand, it may relieve the journalist's moral unease to buy freedom for these two girls; on the other hand, an act of human kindliness like this actually makes no change at all in a structurally oppressing and dehumanizing society. Intervene or not? That's always the question. If we consider some moral standards universal, intervention on the basis of these notions (such as freedom of and respect for life) is then justified. However, morality is sometimes a function of culture, which is determined by specific social and historical conditions of each localities. Where our morality ends and their morality starts is always problematic, and usually politics will...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#109208Sun, 24 May 2009 10:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:109208dan_brit_abroad2http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#109208http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-109208.xmlI have never agreed with the ends justifying the means either. If you ask most people in the world "What would you most want?", many, many people would say "The end of all terrorism." Imagine what would have to be done to achieve this in the near future! It would most certainly involve the death of many innocent victims, just to be certain all terrorists were killed. I once heard a quote in a not so special film, but it stayed with me. "The ends is bullsh*t...the means is what you live with!" Can anyone name the film?http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#107443Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:107443hemant r3http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#107443http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-107443.xmlI partially agree with Kkklutch. When he says that the girls were bought by the reporter to be freed, he seems right. But, when he says - " today, in society, we're looking for the result of things. how someone achieved that goal does not mean anything to us, i believe. " - I don't quite agree with him. The reason being that if all of us start concentrating only on the end result, there would be a lot of unfair deeds involved to achieve the desired/profitable results. So, according to me not only the end results matter but the manner in which these results have been achieved also matters a lot. Hence, what the journalist did was extremely justified. He never harmed anyone and was always looking to help the girls.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#107220Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:107220kkklutch4http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/3/vxcz/Post.htm#107220http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-107220.xmlya. so are you basically saying that it is immoral that a price is put on their heads? well if so, i think he did the right thing- the reason he 'bought' them was to return them. this is a perfect example of how the ends justify the means. today, in society, we're looking for the result of things. how someone achieved that goal does not mean anything to us, i believe.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#106129Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:106129dan_brit_abroad5http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#106129http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-106129.xmlFirstly let me say I applaud the reporter for doing what he did. I hope if any of us were put in the same situation, and had the means to do something; we would do the same thing. But let me put forward a hypothetical question: If the reporter had bought them. But, as they were so afraid of being recaptured, (maybe) reprimanded and resold, the reporter took them back to the US and accommodated them until they were able to successfully seek asylum. 1> Are they technically his property? 2> Would any work they did for him in his house (e.g. washing their own dishes, tidying up thier own mess, making him breakfast), constitute slavery?http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#43216Sun, 24 May 2009 10:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:43216rahul_mcsd6http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#43216http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-43216.xmlI think he would have done worse thing by not setting the two girls free. We should look at this from a wider perpective. The sickening thing would have been if the journalist had brought the girls for pleasure. He returned the girls to their village. That IS a nobel deed.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#42019Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:36:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:42019job447http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#42019http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-42019.xmlHe did not do the right thing because he contributed to the demand of sex slaves. I heard the interpol org. kills those people who sell and trade sex slaves and I am all for it. Kill them all!http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#35807Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:35807myalpha4beta8http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#35807http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-35807.xmlI think journalist did not think whether he was doing right or wrong at that time. As soon as he realized there was something he could do, he did whatever he could. So in this prospect, he did the right thing.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#26913Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:26913teenwriter9http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#26913http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-26913.xmlDid he do the right thing? In a word...Yes.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24351Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:24351Chameleon10http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24351http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-24351.xmlI'd have two qualms with that statement. First, what defines "local politics"? Is what happens in my house "local politics?" If so, I should be allowed to abuse my children, kill my wife, and torture my dog. This boundary is arbitrary. Second, I would suggest that cultures and societies have few (if any) rights beyond the right to exist. Only the people in a culture have rights. If some people violate the rights of others in a culture that values the rights being denied, the wrongdoing transcends any cultural respect that the actions might be given. In other words, if the behavior is not self-consistent with the cultural values, humanity is obligated to act to preserve and/or restore the rights being violated.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24314Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:24314hitchhiker11http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24314http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-24314.xmlI've heard them speak about it; something to do with not interfering with the local politics - much like the Prime Directive in Star Trek: "As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Star Fleet personnel may interfere with the healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes the introduction of superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Star Fleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24198Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:24198Chameleon12http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24198http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-24198.xmlI'd be interested to hear some of those reasons.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24042Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:24042hitchhiker13http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/2/vxcz/Post.htm#24042http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-24042.xmlPlain and simple, your duty as a human overrides your duty as a reporter. Absolutely - but journalists will disagree for a variety of (somewhat) valid reasons. I think I'd go for option three - no idea where I'd leave them though - i'd probably try and get a good solution from them or from some human rights organisation.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23887Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23887Chameleon14http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23887http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23887.xmlI'm also reminded of a quote by Mother Teresa: "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23885Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23885Chameleon15http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23885http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23885.xmlIt may have been that the journalist had no choice in the matter other than those laid out by the captors. You're confronted with two girls, sold or kidnapped into slavery, but most likely surrounded by armed guards. What are your options? 1) Take a very good chance of getting shot / captured&tortured&shot / worse while trying to free them. The girls get sold into sex slavery anyway after you're dead 2) Do nothing and report the story 3) Cooperate with the captors and buy the girls In countries as politically corrupt as the ones we're talking about, the police are far more likely to take a $5 bribe than confront armed slave traders, so I doubt that option would have accomplished much. Human rights groups are already painfully...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23847Sun, 24 May 2009 10:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23847Elena16http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23847http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23847.xmlI'd like to know the complete story. As the journalist had to establish contact with the "sellers", I hope he denounced them to the police as well as return the girls to their village or at least, to some organizations of human rights or Amnesty International.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23836Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23836maj17http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23836http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23836.xmlIt would definitely be a good thing. I wouldn't want them to go to their village again, though.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23831Sun, 24 May 2009 10:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23831rommie18http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23831http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23831.xmlDoesn't it depend on what you compare it with? I mean, if you compare it with doing nothing, it's a good thing. On the other hand, if you compare it with a mass jailbreak setting all the slaves free, I'd go with the jailbreak. Rommiehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23819Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23819lena801319http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23819http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23819.xmlIf I were the jounalist, I would do the same thing. I think this might be the first response any conscientious people would have. We all know it's illegal to sell and buy human beings, but if our purpose of buying someone is to save someone, I think it's right. What do you think, Chameleon?http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23801Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23801hitchhiker20http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23801http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23801.xmlArrrrgg!! That's a tough one; it's human life at the end of the day so my following comments don't really apply.. It reminds me of those birds they have in Thailand(? - I think). They have them in cages and tourists pay money to set them free - the birds are trained to fly back. Vicious circle, by making a sale the 'trade' of bird catching/caging is sustained - if noone bought birds or cared if they were in cages - they'd all be set free (no money in it) - Pure irony. Like I said, this doesn't apply to humans for me but the point is: Even though by buying somebody out of slavery you're doing them a favour; in the long (even the short) run you are increasing the problem. In this DJ's case he's raised the profile - ie it WILL...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23781Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23781peter21http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htm#23781http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23781.xmlI'd say so. At first it seems like a good deed. I suppose you have to ask whether they would be sold right back into slavery or if they have the means to support themselves. What a cheap price on life!http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htmTue, 24 Feb 2009 11:36:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:23737Chameleon22http://www.englishforums.com/English/DidHeDoTheRightThing/vxcz/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments28-23737.xmlI recently heard a story on NPR (National Public Radio, for our non-American posters...It's like the American version of BBC Radio News) about a journalist who was interviewing two girls in Cambodia (I think it was Cambodia, anyway the country is irrelevant). The girls had been stolen / sold into sex slavery. The journalist, after conducting the interview, realized he could buy both girls outright for $350 US. So he did. Then he returned them to their village. The question is, did he do the right thing? I'm curious to hear what other people think about this debate. I have heard arguments from both sides.