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immorality, it is the intention. Did I act or not act out of moral duty? The S.S. officer of Nazi

Germany is guilty of his immoral crimes precisely because he followed immoral orders. By not

protesting the immorality of his orders the S.S. officer is immoral. I am not accountable for the

actions of my government, but I do have the responsibility, an obligation or duty, to do what is

moral even in the face of adversity and low probability of success. I may not be able directly affect

my lawmakers but I can write letters, write letters, and I can protest what is immoral and preach

what is moral--and I must. Dostoyevsky's Ridiculous Man, mocked for his vision of morality--a

paradise where "the key phrase is 'love others as you lover yourself'"and taunted for preaching it

cried out "All right, suppose it never happens, let's say paradise will never come about! I know

myself it won't--yet I'll still go on preaching."

[CONVERTED BY MYRMIDON]