On May 29, 2006, at 5:12 PM, Gus S Calabrese wrote:

> There are many people who would dream of blowing up their
> boss or partner.  They do not know how.  The intent is there.

Wishing is NOT the same as intent.  And I'm not sure if the original
poster meant to imply that intent ONLY (with not action) was evil.)

And if we're talking about "evil", I think intent IS important as
well as results.  Accidentally infecting a native population with
assorted deadly diseases, or trading them drugs that they are
biologically or culturally unprepared to use responsibly are
unfortunate incidents, but not "evil."  Violating treaties, and
forced marches to reservations to steal land is well over the line...

Apparently one of my great uncles died at Auschwitz.  He was a
known criminal, of course, having been convicted of selling art,
trying to move his wealth out of Germany, and (essentially) cheating
on his taxes, as well as being Jewish.  From Gestapo records:

> Dr. Schiffer emphasized that he had been put off in the matter
> by Westfeld for four years now, and showed this man to be a
> disgusting cheat and a typical representative of Judaism who,
> in the event of his liberation, would torment mankind further
> with his fraud and racketeering. The state attorney has no
> further interest in Westfeld and considers his confinement
> in a concentration camp to be necessary.
>

BillW
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