Justice in Genocide? (was Re: Z Ha Dum (* Spoilers *))

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: Justice in Genocide? (was Re: Z Ha Dum (* Spoilers *))
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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s  1: Oct  2, 1996: atropos at ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Neely Stewart)
+  2: Oct  3, 1996: jrholmes at execpc.com (Mary Jean Holmes)
*  3: Oct  3, 1996: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: atropos at ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Neely Stewart)
Lines: 53

In article <3251E061.6301 at Brown.Edu>, "Dave P." <David_Peck at Brown.Edu> says:
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>(* Spoilers for Z Ha Dum *)






























>One aspect I'm a little shaky on about Za'ha'dum - Sheridan, dead or
>alive, did kill a lot of people and level a huge city. During WWII,
>America (the so-called "good" guys) dropped A-Bombs on Hiroshima and
>Nagasaki, and while it might have seemed 'right' then, in retrospect we
>clearly committed an unforgivable atrocity. Is this why the Shadows want
>Sheridan dead in War Without End? Will Sheridan be known as a hero or a
>killer?

I entirely agree. Were I the Shadows, a long,lingering death would 
be too good for the Vorlon's boy.

Personally, I think Sheridan deserves all that he gets (or should).  I 
hope JMS gives Sheridan his due for this immoral genocide. ;;>

Maybe now the Shadows will play for keeps,
Neely





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From: jrholmes at execpc.com (Mary Jean Holmes)
Lines: 85

atropos at ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Neely Stewart) wrote:

>In article <3251E061.6301 at Brown.Edu>, "Dave P." <David_Peck at Brown.Edu> says:
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>>One aspect I'm a little shaky on about Za'ha'dum - Sheridan, dead or
>>alive, did kill a lot of people and level a huge city. During WWII,
>>America (the so-called "good" guys) dropped A-Bombs on Hiroshima and
>>Nagasaki, and while it might have seemed 'right' then, in retrospect we
>>clearly committed an unforgivable atrocity. Is this why the Shadows want
>>Sheridan dead in War Without End? Will Sheridan be known as a hero or a
>>killer?
>
>I entirely agree. Were I the Shadows, a long,lingering death would 
>be too good for the Vorlon's boy.
>
>Personally, I think Sheridan deserves all that he gets (or should).  I 
>hope JMS gives Sheridan his due for this immoral genocide. ;;>
>
>Maybe now the Shadows will play for keeps,

This line of reasoning, however, presumes that all the Shadows
were on Z'ha'dum at the time things went Boom.  I doubt it.
Remember, Delenn did once say that the Shadows were returning to
their *places* of power.  Z'ha'dum, from what we have been shown,
is probably their greatest, but would they "put all their eggs in
one basket"?  I suspect not.

About the WWII bombings in Japan:  I doubt there is a truly sane
person who does not regret the loss of life and the almost
unimaginable devastation that resulted from those attacks.
However -- and JMS has brought up this point several times before
-- there are times in war when one must make a choice between
comparatively smaller losses and the certain-to-be greater losses
which will occur if the conflict is allowed to continue:  In
TSoZ, Sheridan's mention to Zack concerning the story about
Churchill and Coventry; "Some must die if all are to be saved";
"We had to choose between the loss of millions and the loss of
billions."

It's not necessarily a topic with which viewers will feel
comfortable, but it raises valuable food for thought.  And I'm
certain Sheridan's choice will haunt him for the rest of his
life.

MJ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing begins and nothing ends
   That is not paid with moan;
For we are born in others' pain,
   And perish in our own.

            -----Francis Thompson



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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 35

Spoiler reply:


















Lemme put it to you this way, Neely.

If someone pointed to an aggressor city (and for the shadows there's no
distinction between civilian and military, it's all the same, the only
thing that drives them on), which was unified by its desire to wreak havoc
and commit massive warfare, and said, "By eliminating that city of 100,000
agressors you will save the lives of 8 billion innocent bystanders," I'd
push that button in a hot second, and never regret it.



 jms




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