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> Do we really think it's fair that a lady who happened to be selling her house at exactly the time the war started... should have that money donated to Ukraine's war effort?

You know what's not fair? The lady's government invaded a sovereign nation, committed genocide while doing it, and continues to do so. If that lady lost her fortune from it, then she should be vocal about justice for all parties.




if we start holding all Americans liable for what American government did to other countries, it would be really bad for you


Yes, it would. Maybe doing so would cause American government to change their actions. Or maybe not.


America is a functioning democracy so individual Americans are much more responsible than individual Russians for the bullshit their respective countries do.


America is not a democracy in a strict sense, its a republic. To be precise, modern America is a plutocracy, not democracy.

But did America ever pay reparations for centuries of enslaving its own people? Where is the accountability?


> America is not a democracy in a strict sense, its a republic

Most republics are democracies. You seem to think "democracy" is equivalent to "direct democracy," but a direct democracy is only one type of democracy. A republic is another form of democracy.

America is certainly a democracy (for now; who knows what will happen in two years)


In the question of degree and comparison, the US (even in its present greatly degraded state) is far more a functioning democracy than Russia.


How deluded do you need to be to detach yourself from all the responsibility in your life that are complicated? If you are an American, the US government is YOUR government and it is YOUR problem. You might not be able to do much, but it does not shield you from your moral responsibility.

Russians are responsible for their government too! They just have way less they're able to do to steer it, but it still their government.


Your argument seems to violate ought implies can, which as far as I know is generally accepted as a valid moral principle.


She didn't choose that government, nor does she have any power to affect it, so how can she be responsible for it?




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