The New York Times Magazine perplexed its readers last month, asking if they would risk the consequences of incautious time travel and go back in time to kill the baby Adolf Hitler. The ethical debate inspired by the question continued on twitter.
I'd adopt baby hitler and raise him right and when someone was like "your son is so polite" I could reply "guess what else he is: hitler"
— Ernie Monies (@crushingbort) November 9, 2015
Place Baby Hitler with a loving family that would encourage his interest in the arts. Duh.
— Marc Andreessen (@pmarca) November 9, 2015
How do we know someone didn't already go back in time, kill baby Hitler, conclude it was a mistake, go back in time again and stop himself?
— James Taranto (@jamestaranto) November 9, 2015
On Monday, the Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush was asked the same question in an interview with the Huffington Post, filmed on the Bush campaign bus in New Hampshire, and Jeb had no problem answering it.
"Hell yeah, I would!" the former Florida governor said without hesitation. "You gotta step up, man."
"It could have a dangerous effect on everything else. But I'd do it. I mean — Hitler," he said, shrugging.
Bush later tweeted the article featuring his answer on Monday, with the comment, "Gotta do it."
Gotta do it. https://t.co/xS3WwQDc1F
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) November 9, 2015