The NY Times did one of those things they’re so fond of: take an unscientific and inadequate sample of a subpopulation of voters, and ask them what they think of a recent policy decision. This time, they asked 6 Republicans what they think of bombing Venezualan boats. I’m not sure what the point is, except to let us know that Republicans are assholes.

Edward Padron, 67, thinks in principle that killing people in boats is OK, but killing survivors is wrong.

“I don’t agree with the second shot,” Mr. Padron said. “I do agree with them being stopped.”

Warning: Mr Padron holds the moral high ground in this group. It’s all downhill from there.

Erwin McKone, 55, has reservations about killing low-level guys in boats.

“If we were serious about the cartels, we would probably try to cut off the head of the snake,” he said, speculating that many of those who have been killed are “poor Venezuelans that see this as an opportunity to feed their families.”

I suspect he’d be fine if we just openly declared war on Venezuela.

Charles Vaughters, 25, favors killing alleged drug traffickers without much evidence.

“Drug traffickers are criminals who rape, murder and kill people, and they are dedicated to getting the product to Americans,” Mr. Vaughters said. “They don’t care if it harms Americans. I don’t think we should be feeling much sympathy.”

Rachel Uecker, 53, has a pragmatic perspective.

“​​If we take them to the courts, we’re going to have to pay for that and support them in prison,” she said. “If they’re bringing drugs into our country, I don’t care who gets rid of them.”

Brian Kozlowski, 41, wants more violence.

Brian D. Kozlowski, who is a strong Trump supporter, said the U.S. military should be used “more proactively to keep Americans safe.” He blamed the Biden administration for what he described as not doing enough to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the country.

He’s a lawyer. Let’s get rid of that troubling concept of presumed innocence.

But my very favorite example of twisted moral reasoning comes from Naomi Villalba (no age given), who cites the Bible as justification.

Ms. Villalba said the second strike was also justified, and she does not believe the United States is indiscriminately targeting boats.

“They should have done that strike regardless,” she said. “Every human being does have value, but if you’re caught up in something that’s very detrimental to society, I think that you should die.”

She compared these strikes to a story in the Bible, when Jesus healed someone on a Sunday, contradicting religious rules that forbid work on that day. Some laws are worth breaking for the betterment of mankind, she said, just like the biblical story was trying to show.

Well, yeah. If Jesus could break one of the ten commandments to heal someone, then Pete Hegseth can also break one of the commandments to murder two people clinging to wreckage in the ocean. Same thing. Every human being does have value, but….

Does being caught up in something detrimental to society also include evangelical Christianity and MAGA?

I take back my disparagement of the NY Times’ methods of taking the pulse of the country. I did learn something after all.