Hypothetical fictional analogy that has a bearing on this thread:
Suppose my neighbor is mad at me, and makes a trebuchet and fires three coconuts at my house. They are green coconuts, and while very heavy and they
hit the house, they don't do much damage to our corrugated roof. Maybe some dents. I go over there, and say, "you do that again, and I will bury
your house in coconuts." I walk away. AS I am going inside my house, three more coconuts hit my roof. This makes me mad, and I worry about my
children who are playing outside, oblivious to the danger.
Well, I warned them. I line up my battery of six trebuchets, and I fire off two coconuts from each. The first of each I light on fire. That
should do it. Point made.
The next day passes without incident.
The following day, six coconuts hit my roof, and two land outside of my house, narrowly missing my children who were playing in the yard. I am
naturally incensed. How DARE they risk the lives of my children??? I line up alll six trebuchets, and two more that were brought here by my ally.
The first two salvos were burning coconuts. We have intel that that hit targets, which are now burning. The next two salvos are not flaming, but
filled with lead for weight. They crash through the roofs of various structures, destroying their integrity. The last two salvos are flaming, and
precisely aimed toward the locations where my neighbor has been firing his coconuts from. It is unfortunate that is the homeschool location, however
I fire them at a time when school
should be out. Why would he fire them from that place? He wants the other neighbors to hate us, should we
slip and kill some of his kin, or God forbid, his children.
Two weeks go by, and we breathe a sigh of relief. It is over. FINally.
Three weeks later, as we are all away on holiday, dozens of our homes are destroyed by flaming coconuts with explosives. Several parents were killed
who were holding down the fort.
Well, apparently negotiations are no longer on the table. Nope. I didn't want this. Nobody did. We are going in tomorrow, supported by a battery
of 27 coconut trebuchets of our supportive neighbors, and our goal is to end them, all of them. We are sorry that they were unwilling to reach an
accord, but what were we supposed to do??? We thought they were crazy, but were willing to let them live in peace next to us. Apparently, they are
so crazy that they are just going to keep coming no matter what we do. I weep with my wife for the innocent children. I kiss my wife goodbye and
step into the tank, which I will drive in order to vanquish the enemy, in order to protect my family. I quietly curse God for having put me in this
place. Can't be helped. Could've been helped long ago.
edit on 21/4/24 by argentus because: spellin'