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From: lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: self defense, etc.
Message-ID: <789@reed.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Jan-85 03:25:03 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.789
Posted: Tue Jan  8 03:25:03 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Jan-85 22:37:10 EST
References: <177@tekred.UUCP> <4043@ucbvax.ARPA>
Reply-To: lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate)
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 36
Summary: 

In article <4043@ucbvax.ARPA> medin@ucbvax.ARPA (Milo Medin) writes:

>If someone is on your property causing trouble,
>as far as I am concerned they are dead meat if shot, and the owner
>has a right to do it.  If you are causing trouble then you have given
>up your rights by not assuming your responsibilities from which
>you get your rights in the first place.  Thats the social
>contract, and no one will force you to break it unless you choose
>to do so yourself.  Trying to make people figure out 'reasonable
>use of force' under such stressful conditions is ridiculous.

My first reaction to this was "Milo, get serious!!!"; and then
I realized that he is.  

Some rights don't spring from responsibilities; 
I hold that the right to live in peace, the right to 
speak your mind and the right to worship what you wish, all
derive from just being human.  I do think that these rights
imply that in order to protect them, we have to be
responsible; i.e. we must speak out if we fear that we may
lose the right to free expression.

Milo, have you thought about what you're saying? Some
transient may wander on to your farm and steal a chicken--
and you advocate a "Shoot first, ask questions later."
attitude.  Do you value your chicken more than the life
of another person?  If so, then I understand your feelings,
even though I would disagree with you. But if not, then
why are you saying this?

I agree that requiring people to make complex decisions in
a crisis is risky-- but I see that as an argument for
restraint! To err on the side of caution, when a human
life is concerned, is the only act of a responsible citizen.

		Chris