The idea that twenty five thousand people wouldn’t have been tortured if Pinochet hadn’t been a dictator is itself a counterfactual.
Then how the fuck does it not nullify your counterfactual that they would’ve been tortured? I can back up my claims with historical evidence about the lawful and peaceful character of Allende’s government—as well as the enormous support and protection given to Pinochet and his ilk by the US, without which he would’ve been way less likely to succeed. You just assert the opposite, that the US-backed dictators and their pet psychopaths were: 1) the only solution to violence and strife in the region, and 2) not at all a major contributing factor to said strife and violence. I say it’s bullshit and shameless propaganda.
Why don’t you explain to those victims how their lives would have been better if Pinochet hadn’t been dictator?
I’m really quite confident that many of the survivors brought that up over and over again—in interviews and when testifying after Pinochet’s belated arrest and trial.
What, do you think that me, hypothetically, telling a victim/their family: “I looked you up, and I’m so sorry for what happened to you, I wish Pinochet never got his hands on anyone”… is somehow as fucked up as what you could possibly tell them, if Omega forced us both to explain ourselves to them?
(Note: I don’t seriously advocate you dredge up painful memories for somebody just to prove some sort of political point about how right your political views are because you’re capable of not giving a shit about their suffering.)
Then how the fuck does it not nullify your counterfactual that they would’ve been tortured?
I can back up my claims with historical evidence about the lawful and peaceful character of Allende’s government—as well as the enormous support and protection given to Pinochet and his ilk by the US, without which he would’ve been way less likely to succeed.
You just assert the opposite, that the US-backed dictators and their pet psychopaths were: 1) the only solution to violence and strife in the region, and 2) not at all a major contributing factor to said strife and violence. I say it’s bullshit and shameless propaganda.
I’m really quite confident that many of the survivors brought that up over and over again—in interviews and when testifying after Pinochet’s belated arrest and trial.
What, do you think that me, hypothetically, telling a victim/their family: “I looked you up, and I’m so sorry for what happened to you, I wish Pinochet never got his hands on anyone”… is somehow as fucked up as what you could possibly tell them, if Omega forced us both to explain ourselves to them?
Hey, any Chileans on LW?