Pamela Woldu
SOC120
Thomas Reeder
Feb.04, 2013
The Truth and Disregard of Moral
In reading “Some Moral Minima”, I found myself getting angrier and angrier. I agreed with all of the writing as it entailed several disturbing issues of abuse and neglect of mankind. I was waiting for the moment when the slavery of Africans would be introduced and used as a clear example of the insidiously indigenous behavior of the White Europeans, however that moment never came. Instead I had to read about the enslavement of white women.
As a Proud African, to sit and read nine pages on injustice and not read about the injustice my person suffered was more than I could bear. I felt as if what we suffered and continue to suffer this very day was troubling. It is with anger, sorry and regret that I attempt to write this paper. It matters not to me what grade I receive as I am questioning my choice of schools even as I write.
Goodman made some strong points, human suffering on any level is wrong. Who is entitled to make that decision? In America, we kill people to show that killing is wrong, yet we go to war and kill thousands in the name of security. America is thought to be the world super power and for lack of a better word, the moral compass for less developed countries, however America lacks moral on so many levels.
Goodman stated “All living beings make claims to life. That is the first basis of demands for deference to deserts”. If this is true, what gives another human being a stronger claim?
When is war acceptable? When in error as we saw with the Iraq,(absence of weapons of mass destruction) how do you atone for the many lives lost?
The Truth and Disregard of Moral
Goodman further discussed Cliterodectomy, the removal of the female clitoris, relativism at its worst or best, depending on who you ask. I think his description of cliterdectomy was biased and fail to respect the culture of the people. If a people believe something to be true, until their way of thinking is challenged or redirected. His details of what other countries practices are were at time more opinionated than factual.
Who determines what human satisfaction is during intercourse? How can one state this as a fact unless he or she has been denied the sexual satisfaction and gratification one achieves during sex because of the removal of the clitoris. I had some thoughts about Goodmans use of the word terrorism, and if it really even exist. To me terror means to enact fear, I’m fearful of the government and feel they have enacted this fear upon me, shall I consider my government terrorist?
Goodman said in closing “I have not tried to spell out all human obligations to self or others, or list every form of wrong doing. But I do see a thread linking a few minima I have laid out as