TED Conversations

Omosetan Omogbeja

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Does anyone think of the latest move to prosecute Nazi war criminals as something justifiable?

It was reported today that the Simon Wiesenthal Center has decided to pay for information that can lead to capture of Nazi war criminals. The reward for this endeavor goes up to $33,000 and the reason they are pursuing this is based on the successful conviction of John Demjanjuk who was 91 years at time of capture. But considering that most of these "criminals" are old and knocking on death's door, is pursing them a human thing in a world where most people are calling for a show of human love and forgiveness, or is this just based on seeking revenge and retribution? As humans can we factor in their remorse or the duress of being under orders as we make a call on what they did?

Topics: Love for Humanity Nazi forgiveness history mercy revenge
0
Share:

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

  • thumb

    benjamin abegunde

    • 0
    Dec 15 2011: The question is justifiable to who? From one perspective justifiability is time-bound, just based on the emotions of individuals until they don't care anymore or until they are dead. On another perspective it is eternal, when there is a law put out by a government that law is cemented in time. I personally do not see the point of it, most of the individuals convicted of war crimes were simply brainwashed into doing such horrible crimes but, now that light has come to them, I believe that they would have lived through the remorse of what they did, probably throughout their whole life times. I am having mixed feelings about it, but I believe that it is necessary, of course a law is a law and some will saw that it should be flexible in some areas, I believe so, but I believe that it should be the decision of the war victims to decide that.

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.