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From: del@wuphys.UUCP (Dave de Lake)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: How to get my Goetz, or, don't stop the crime-shoot the suspect
Message-ID: <192@wuphys.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Jan-85 22:41:58 EST
Article-I.D.: wuphys.192
Posted: Fri Jan 18 22:41:58 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Jan-85 05:47:07 EST
References: <3252@alice.UUCP>
Organization: Physics Dept., Washington Univ. in St. Louis
Lines: 61

> 
> Well, I've finally blown my cool on this issue.
> 
> Goetz had a gun.  He clearly was in command of the situation.  Why
> (assuming he was ALLOWED to carry the gun, another loaded question)
> didn't he say "Freeze, sucker, or I'll waste you!" and then back out of 
> whatever situation he was in, or wait/summon New York's finest.
> 
Because in a previous attempted mugging Goetz found out
just how effective "New York's finest" are allowed to
be under a criminal justice system which appears to
protect the criminal more often than the victim.

> Why?  Damned if I know.  I don't know the tactical situation either!

It's probably pretty hard to think clearly when you are
probably about to get threatened by four guys on the
subway.

> None the less, assuming that he did have the superior weaponry,
> it seems to me that he could have bluffed his way out of the situation instead
> of blowing the hoods away.  (I'm assuming for the purposes of this article
> that they were criminals, since that puts Goetz in the worst situation, as far
> as being endangered. If they weren't, his legal and ethical position is even worse.)  

Ditto
> 
> I don't think Goetz is a hero.  I think he is an anti-hero.
> I'm more than a bit disgusted with those who think he IS a hero.  
> 
People who have been shown time after time after time
that the criminals seem to get away with such crimes
without compensating the victims probably think he is a
hero.  People who won't get mugged on the subway next
week because some punks are afraid to try it might
think he is a hero.

I agree that he is not a hero, what he did was wrong;
on the other hand, what he did was probably what he
considered the ONLY way to achieve his perception of
justice.  Goetz at least as much of a victim of society
as the punks.

> 
> I'll say it once more. I think that people should be allowed to buy guns,
> and to keep them.  I also think that anyone who buys a gun MUST BE CLEARLY
> educated as to the EFFECTS OF FIRING the weapon.  


You mean that it could kill someone, or that it could
save your
life on the subway?

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***

Message? What message? Oh is that the idea behind this?


				Dave Lake
				@ read it off the top
				  you lazy scum...