chung wrote:
On a related note, one's past transgressions don't invalidate later criticism of another's transgression of a similar nature. Examples range from the banal one of a dying smoker speaking up against smoking to an international one when the rest of the world condemned South Africa's Apartheid, never mind that many such critical parties were continuations of groups/nations/kingdoms/empires that engaged in racism let alone vicious systematic policies such as the Slave Trade and/or the Pogroms / Holocaust.
In fact the article comes off to me as a variation of Whataboutism with a jab at the USA for getting its comeuppance.
Is that how you see it? A dying smoker? This is how I see it:
Act I
Two thieves, Bob and Andrei, sitting in Bob's villa (which he bought with stolen money).
Bob: Listen Andrei, stealing is bad. You should really stop doing that.
Andrei: What? But almost everything you own is stolen how can you say that!?
Bob: Oh please, that makes absolutely no difference. The point still stands, regardless of my deeds and misdeeds.
Andrei: Alright, but why are you stealing my pocket-watch then?
Bob: Stealing? Oh, I see you're still stuck in the old mind-set. Oh no no no. I'm done with stealing.
Andrei: But why is my pocket-watch in your pocket then?
Bob: I'm simply going to return it to its rightful owner. Alongside the car you've driven yourself here in and your boots.
Andrei: I'm not giving you my boots.
Bob: But you've stolen them, they're not yours.
Andrei: I don't care. You can steal my belongings, but I'm not going bare-foot.
Bob: I'm not stealing! I'm simply returning those things to their owner.
Andrei: To whom?
Bob: To that guy, you know, the guy... what's his name...
Andrei: I'll tell you. He's called Taras, and he's the homeless person I buy lunch for every day.
Bob: Well, as soon as he gets back on track, I'll return his stuff.
Andrei: Why not right away?
Bob: What? That way he'd sell them to buy vodka and crack. No way.
Act II
Taras' cardboard-house, Bob walks by
Taras: HEY! BOB! HEY! There's my saviour!
Bob: Oh hey...
Taras: Oh thank you so much for returning my belongings!
Bob: Oh well, I'm safe-keeping them for now, until you get back on track.
Taras: But I can't get back on track without any money? I could sell the car, pocket-watch and everything else that bastard stole from me, rent a place and then get a job at Hans and Pierre's offices.
Bob: Sorry, Taras. A tough decision needs to be taken, and I've taken it.
Taras: What are you talking about? Why are you deciding over my stuff?
Bob: Because I know you'd simply use the money to buy crack. Look at yourself! Gotta go man, take care!
Taras: Wait! At least give me some food!
Bob: Sure, here's a hot dog. Enjoy!
Bob leaves, Andrei comes along.
Andrei: Oh well, well, well... if it isn't the ungrateful bitch. You've teamed up with that bastard Bob against me.
Taras: I haven't. He won't give me anything...
Andrei: Oh and that hot dog is a gift from God is it?
Taras: I'm starving... I'd take food from anyone.
Andrei: You ain't getting nothing from me. Never again. I was too good to you.
Taras: Too good? You made me homeless! You almost starved me to death! The least you could do was give me some food. And then Bob came along and said that he'd help me get my stuff back!
Andrei: And you believed him! He's a conman! It's his job to lie!
Taras: After what you did to me, I'd try anything.
Andrei: Shut up you motherfucker! I've had it with you! (slaps the hot dog from Taras' hand)
Andrei leaves after hearing Hans yelling. Hans runs over to Taras.
Hans: Are you ok? Did he hurt you?
Taras: No, I'm good. But I do need a job, you know. I'd really work hard.
Hans: You? A job? Hey Pierre, José, Luca, John! He think he can work for us!!
Taras: Why? What's the problem?
Hans: You stink. For starters.
Taras: Can I shower at your place and stay with you until the first salary?
Hans: HAHAHA Of course not! Go stay at Andrei's place. You're cousins after all. I don't want to get in the middle of a family feud. Or you could stay at Bob's place. But you know, he'll probably want to shave you as well.
Taras: I do need a shave, though.
Hans: No, I wanted to say... how do you call it, oh yes, bikini waxing! He likes his boys smooth and submissive. He even has a dungeon. Did you see it?
Taras: Oh God...