The thing is Easthies approaches the principles the same way a surgeon approaches the rules about not eating before surgery. I'm not saying he's right, the manga hints at some as-yet-unrevealed information he and Vinanna have, and we don't know exactly what the consequences would actually be. But Easthies' actions make sense if you assume that, from his own perspective, it really is that serious.
No, it doesn't matter that the child was begging and crying for food.
No, it doesn't matter whether it was a whole thanksgiving feast or a single saltine.
No, it doesn't matter if you were starving beforehand.
No, it doesn't matter 'why', you should have listened when I told you not to do it.
No, I can't help the fact that the rule means some people will die that might have been saved otherwise.
Oh, the dean of medicine personally approved that, just this once, everyone gets candy bars? No, that doesn't make it ok, that just means the dean needs to lose their fucking medical license.
















