Which is worse, Genocide or Indiscriminate Killing?

[DireStrike]

Junior's quote about indiscriminate killing, along with some DUer comments, got me thinking.

Which crime is worse? Are they the same thing? Are they equivalently evil?

To me, Genocide is worse. Taking the time to specifically kill members of a certain race requires a special kind of hatred and dementia. Indiscriminate killing is just your general insanity.

[RoyGBiv]

1. A kill is a kill is a kill ...

...to borrow from Howard Stern.

[GreenArrow]

2. Genocide is cold booded.

Planned out. Systematic. Programmed. Directed. Malice aforethought.

Indiscriminate killing is totally emotional, spur of the moment. Hot blooded.

Genocide is the worse evil.

[lenidog]

3. I wouldn't say that

>>>Indiscriminate killing is totally emotional, spur of the moment. Hot blooded.<<<

Stalin was pretty cold blooded about ordering the deaths of 25 million. He was more or less and indiscriminate killer since he killed across all lines. (hell hey even killed the killers)

[lenidog]

4. Question

A couple years back I was reading an article about there being a small movement wanting to broaden the legal definition of genocide. As it stands now genocide is defined by religous, racial or ethnic terms. They wanted it also defined by social or political terms. Such as Stalin killing off all the Kulaks in Russia which was a social class or Pol Pot's campaign against the intelligensia. How do you feel about this. I tend to agree with them and would if in my power to do so enlarge this definition.

[DireStrike]

5. I think that's probably a good idea.

Social class can be more of a defining identity of a 'people' than skin color or religion in some cases. There would probably be plenty of exceptions, but overall it's good.

The problem arises when you consider whether this may be a slippery slope. Are Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorists a group? Would killing them all be genocide? Most people would never go for a definition that would allow that interpretation. It would have to be tightly worded, and yet applicable to different groups somehow.

[bobedwards]

6. Mass murder is mass murder

[JVS]

7. This is one of those which turd tastes worse discussions

they're both bad

[leftofthedial]

8. genocide is worse, but

genocide is easier to get away with.

[Endangered Specie]

9. Ain't this like trying to pick between Stalin and Hitler?

:scared:

[Fleurs du Mal]

10. Same horrific difference

[Minstrel Boy]

11. The deliberate erasure of a people and culture.

Genocide dimishes humanity.

Indiscriminate killing doesn't have the "virtue" of genocide's rigour.