[WikiEN-l] The terrorists have won

[Gwern Branwen]

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On Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 10:18 PM, stevertigo wrote:
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>
> There was a more subtlely blunt point here - one that I glanced over:
> That the real reason for the blackout had nothing to do with any sophisticated
> tactics for lowering Rohde's profile, but rather it was to comply with
> kidnapper
> demands. Is that correct?
>
> Nice.

Quite; hence the subject. (I'm sure we all remember the phrase 'if you
do X, [[the terrorists have won]].' Well, we did X.)

More generally, my point is that the reasoning offered for the
censorship is intellectually bankrupt. Before they knew that silence
was part of the terrorists' demands, people were falling all over
themselves to justify it as some sort of heroic action ('silence
will... err, somehow help out negotiations or soothe those savage
beasts!'); but now that the facts of the matter turn out to be
opposite, they will no doubt seize on the new justification to
maintain their position ('if we don't follow their demands, they may
kill the hostage!').

They are like the stereotypical Panglossian/religious person, upon
hearing a child was barely saved from being run over - 'Ah, surely
that is a miracle! God is great!' - but when they hear the child was
in actuality run over and the rumor incorrect - 'Ah, surely that is
part of God's awesome plan! God is great!'

-- 
gwern