Murray's set of criteria for laudable humanitarianism leave me wondering why we should not also hear her praise of:1. Josef Stalin, who reduced hunger and suffering in his country. He accomplished that by killing and starving millions, but how can we possibly be so judgmental? And didn't Stalin deal with the unequal distribution of wealth by reducing everyone - except the nomenklatura, of course - to the same level of economic misery? Stalin was also a champion of gun control - didn't he remove firearms from the general civilian population, concentrating the use of force in the apparatus of the State? What Democrat would not be proud of such a record of accomplishment?
2. Adolph Hitler, who certainly did wonderful things for the German economy of the day. Wow! Full employment, the Autobahn, gun control, schools for everyone (unless you were a Jew or a non-Aryan or one of those other sub-humans), a system of national health care and eugenics. The list goes on. And didn't he restore a sense of national pride? True compassionate and caring leadership by Murray's lights.
3. Benito Mussolini, who made trains run on time (at least for a while) and 'organized' the Italian economy in a model that would make any Democrat proud. I mean, who's to say what's right and wrong when a leader like Mussolini has done so many wonderful things for his country?
4. Pol Pot, who, like good old Uncle Joe, also reduced hunger and suffering by killing off approximately one third of the Cambodian population. And let's not forget Pol Pot's contribution to reducing gun violence by instructing his cadres to use hoes, pickaxes, shovels, axes and other farm implements to slaughter those who just couldn't see the wisdom of his 'back to the land' reforms. Why this man is not in the HCI Hall of Fame, I just don't know.
5. Fidel Castro. What hasn't this man done? Free socialist education (whether you want it or not), free lobotomies (good Socialist ones, mind you) free medical care (just look as his handling of AIDS cases), 90% literacy of the population (as long as you don't mind a little censorship to go along with it), 'outreach' missions to many other South American countries in order to spread the good socialist news. Ms. Murray should be worshipping the ground on which this man walks. Oh wait. She already does. What was I thinking?
That's just a short list of those great humanitarians and contributors to 'the greater good' that Ms. Murray who for some inexplicable reason has overlooked. I glad that I could clear this up for you.
Go Figger.