Why are we still chasing nazi war criminals?

[Texashiker]

There is an article on the daily caller talking about software being developed to identify and convict nazi war criminals.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/05/07/h...d-to-identify-and-convict-nazi-war-criminals/

Why are nazi war crimes still an issue? Most of those people are in their 90s. What good does it do to put a 90 year old person on trial?

If this was the 1950s, 1960 maybe even the 1980s, sure, hunt them down.

Victory in Europe was on this day, May 8, 1945. Here are 69 years later and still picking at wounds from three generations back?

From the recent people I saw brought before a court, they were prison guards. What were they supposed to do, disobey orders? I dont see any of our drone operators being kicked out of the Army for refusing orders.

What the nazis did was wrong, but there is no justice in bringing someone who may not even remember what happened 60 - 69 years ago to trial.

Why doesn't society just let those old nazis fade into history where they belong.

 

[DominionSeraph]

If a black man killed a white one you'd want him prosecuted no matter how long it had been.
Murder has no statute of limitations. Sorry if these doesn't fit your prejudicial slant as to who "real" people are.

 

[Anarchist420]

never mind

 

[JManInPhoenix]

There should never be a statute of limitations on those involved in the Nazi death camps, Pol Pot's killing fields or any of the other mass atrocities of the 20th century.

But I do understand what you are saying about the age of the perps. If a death camp guard was 18 in 1945 he would be turning 87 this year. Most of the ones that avoided justice have probably already died of old age by now.

 

[Texashiker]

If a black man killed a white one you'd want him prosecuted no matter how long it had been.
Murder has no statute of limitations. Sorry if these doesn't fit your prejudicial slant as to who "real" people are.

Have you ever been around someone who is reaching their end of life? Maybe has alzheimers and does not even recognize their own children? The person being brought to trial is not the same person who committed the acts.

Part of justice is punishing the person who committed the crime. Why punish someone who may only live a few more years, or even a few more months?

 

[z1ggy]

So the new TH political flavor of the month is the Holocaust and Jews it seems. I guess it's good you take a break from all the gay bashing for a while.

 

[dphantom]

If a black man killed a white one you'd want him prosecuted no matter how long it had been.
Murder has no statute of limitations. Sorry if these doesn't fit your prejudicial slant as to who "real" people are.

this

 

[werepossum]

There should never be a statute of limitations on those involved in the Nazi death camps, Pol Pot's killing fields or any of the other mass atrocities of the 20th century.

But I do understand what you are saying about the age of the perps. If a death camp guard was 18 in 1945 he would be turning 87 this year. Most of the ones that avoided justice have probably already died of old age by now.

This. I can see cutting some slack to those who were just guards, but any who can be identified, should be identified and investigated for crimes. "Just following orders" is not an excuse for blatantly illegal orders.

 

[alzan]

Have you ever been around someone who is reaching their end of life? Maybe has alzheimers and does not even recognize their own children? The person being brought to trial is not the same person who committed the acts.

Part of justice is punishing the person who committed the crime. Why punish someone who may only live a few more years, or even a few more months?

People with alzheimers often have better memory of earlier years and events; memories from childhood through mid-life adulthood are the strongest.

If the goal of our legal system is to punish criminals then the age of the criminal should not matter.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

this

Not for TH, he will go on and on and on with a million reasons why it shouldn't be that way.

 

[Genx87]

It is a symbolic gesture to do 70 years after the fact. But really a waste of resources when you consider the age of these people.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I've thought of this too, seems like the most recent arrested Nazis are either too frail or too senile to jail. However sometimes you do something simply because its the right thing to do. I'm not sure when the hunt should end

 

[Texashiker]

Not for TH, he will go on and on and on with a million reasons why it shouldn't be that way.

The last few nazis who made the news were guards. Not people who gave the orders and not people who pulled the lever.

Correct me if I am wrong on that.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

The last few nazis who made the news were guards. Not people who gave the orders and not people who pulled the lever.

Correct me if I am wrong on that.

Did they prevent prisoners from escaping death? They are just as guilty as those who gave and carried out the orders, in fact they were following orders that resulted in the death of prisoners.

 

[dphantom]

It is a symbolic gesture to do 70 years after the fact. But really a waste of resources when you consider the age of these people.

I would argue it is never a waste of resources to bring to justice those who commit crimes when the statute of limitations has not expired. It may be symbolic, but the symbolism shows that those who uphold justice will never tire in seeing right done, no matter how long it takes.

 

[Genx87]

The guards are as guilty as the leaders who told them to do the killing. Concentration camp guards were part of SS-Totenkopfverbände. They went through strict ideological training and wanted to be there. They weren't conscripts put into a Heer unit charged with overseeing prisoners. They were true believers in the strictest sense. And if any of them grew a conscience they were put in front line penal units that were charged with the toughest jobs. Most of them never lived long.

 

[frowertr]

Age should have nothing to do with pursuing criminals. Whether they are 90 or 19, they still need to be dealt with accordingly. Also, he could be none of the things you mentioned above. He could be as fit as this guy:

 

[Zorba]

Have you ever been around someone who is reaching their end of life? Maybe has alzheimers and does not even recognize their own children? The person being brought to trial is not the same person who committed the acts.

Part of justice is punishing the person who committed the crime. Why punish someone who may only live a few more years, or even a few more months?

Living in fear that at any moment you could be arrested for your crimes, is a type of punishment. Not a severe punishment, but it is still something.

The last few nazis who made the news were guards. Not people who gave the orders and not people who pulled the lever.

Correct me if I am wrong on that.

I think they were guards. But not just normal guards following orders, they were brutal beyond orders. Either way, I say if we can find them, put them on trail.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'm not sure when the hunt should end

We'll have living WWII vets for another 20 to 25 years in all likelihood. That may sound incredible, but keep in mind, the last WWI veteran just died in 2012. Also keep in mind that some who served (particularly in German and Japanese armies, but some in Allied armies as well) were under 18 when they served. So as long as they survive, we should keep looking IMO.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Lets me guess, all bets are off for Islamic Terrorists, right?

 

[Squeetard]

There is an article on the daily caller talking about software being developed to identify and convict nazi war criminals.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/05/07/h...d-to-identify-and-convict-nazi-war-criminals/

Why are nazi war crimes still an issue? Most of those people are in their 90s. What good does it do to put a 90 year old person on trial?

If this was the 1950s, 1960 maybe even the 1980s, sure, hunt them down.

Victory in Europe was on this day, May 8, 1945. Here are 69 years later and still picking at wounds from three generations back?

From the recent people I saw brought before a court, they were prison guards. What were they supposed to do, disobey orders? I dont see any of our drone operators being kicked out of the Army for refusing orders.

What the nazis did was wrong, but there is no justice in bringing someone who may not even remember what happened 60 - 69 years ago to trial.

Why doesn't society just let those old nazis fade into history where they belong.

For once I agree with you.

 

[dphantom]

Lets me guess, all bets are off for Islamic Terrorists, right?

and that has what to do with this topic? or are you just being your normal ignorant self?

 

[nageov3t]

because, fuck them. that's why.

why let them die peacefully in their beds surrounded by their loved ones? certainly that's not how the people they gassed died.

 

[Texashiker]

I would argue it is never a waste of resources to bring to justice those who commit crimes

Define justice.

How is locking up an 80 or 90 year old person for something they did 70+ years ago justice?

 

[dphantom]

Define justice.

How is locking up an 80 or 90 year old person for something they did 70+ years ago justice?

Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, equity and fairness.

What's yours?

How is it not just?