Is Spying Wrong?

[M.D. Holloway]

Our Son took out a book from the schools library on spy gadgets. Pretty cool book actually. Described a presidential seal found in a US Embassy in Moscow that resonated and the Soviets could listen using radar. Also had a bunch of pics of all sorts of listen devices and hidden devices.

Our Son asked the question,

"So its wrong for other countries to spy on us but its OK for us to spy on them?"

"Yes" I said.

"If spying is wrong then why is it OK for us to do something wrong?"

"Because we are the good guys" I said.

"So if your the good guys you can do some wrong stuff and its OK?" he said smiling - not in a wisearse way but in a way that said 'I get to eat cake for dinner and it is perfectly fine'.

By this time I was heading down a rabbit hole.

"Well, you see sometimes you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet."

"Dad, I don't like omelets."

"Well you like brownies don't ya and you have to crack some eggs to make brownies don't ya?" I quipped back.

He looked down at a few more pictures and after a few minutes of reflection said "Why not just buy the brownies … let somebody else break the eggs and stuff?"

Now that’s capitalism guys!

[Moneyguy1]

Great story!!

Kids are sometimes very difficult to fool.

[fintstone]

You make a simple idea far too complex. Spying against an enemy is just another military tactic...right or wrong does not apply. How the information is used...or the cause that one is spying for is what should be considered when discussing morality. It is the same sort of argument that one would use with gun control. The gun does not commit the crime...

[Nathans_Dad]

Whether spying is right or wrong depends on who is the spyer and who is the spyee.

Just like everything else, we think it is ok for us to kill terrorists, they think it is ok for them to kill civilians. In the end, you just have to make a judgement and pick a side.

BTW, your kid is pretty friggin smart!

[scottmandue]

Do as I say not as I do...

[pwd72s]

Mike, our country has made vast progress in this area. Back in the old days we'd simply execute spies. I'm thinking of 6 German WWII spies who entered the USA from Florida. Today, we have a flock of ACLU lawyers willing to defend spies...Hmmm, you impressed me as a smart guy...your son got those genes, right?

[M.D. Holloway]

naw, most likely from his momma! Thanks though...

[Rick Lee]

Spying is not wrong. It's to be expected. Have we ever even prosecuted a foreign agent? We just use them for exchanges. However, traitors are a whole other story.

[tabs]

U got an MS from MIT, right Lubby, this little episode just go to show ya that all that education was a waste...when a 5 year old can out think ya....