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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!gummo!whuxlb!pyuxll!eisx!npoiv!npois!hogpc!houxm!houxc!george
From: george@houxc.UUCP
Newsgroups: btl.general,net.philosophy
Subject: Theft
Message-ID: <327@houxc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Jul-83 13:57:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxc.327
Posted: Thu Jul 28 13:57:09 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 29-Jul-83 05:42:02 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 20

In following the recent rash of articles about car theft at BTL locations
in "btl.general" I have noticed a common comment which I find
rather disturbing.
The comment is of the form "...you got what you deserved for not locking
your car..." or "..well, you didn't lock your car and so got what you
asked for...".
I don't understand this tendency to blame the theft on the
person from whom the property was stolen.
Just because someone left a purse on the front seat or didn't lock
the car doors does not make that person the one to blame for the theft.
I have seen many cars open and many items of value left exposed in cars,
but I didn't steal them.
Something is fundamentally wrong when the victim of a crime
is made responsible for its occurrence.
Is it wrong to steal or isn't it?
Does my leaving my car open make it OK for someone to steal it?
Is it my fault if it does get stolen??
Is there something wrong with my train of thought?

george hess, houxc!george