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From: slf@teddy.UUCP (Scott Fisher)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Sigh, Still Goetz?
Message-ID: <1168@teddy.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 16-Jan-85 09:22:59 EST
Article-I.D.: teddy.1168
Posted: Wed Jan 16 09:22:59 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Jan-85 00:39:34 EST
References: <3279@alice.UUCP>
Reply-To: slf@teddy.UUCP (Scott Fisher)
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 49
Summary: 

In article <3279@alice.UUCP> jj@alice.UUCP writes:
>
>I don't think he should be considered a HERO until the facts are
>in, and I don't mean the NEWS MEDIA facts, I mean the court action,
>resolution of charges, and the like.  
>
>While I have a less than thorough respect for the criminal justice system
>myself, it's still much better than vigilantism in any form.

According to the Merriam/Webster Dictionary:
	vig*i*lan*te : a member of a vigilance committe
	vililance committe : a volunteer committe of citizens organized
		to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the 
		processes of law appear inadequate)

I have not herd that Goetz was a member of any such group or that he went 
on the subway with the intention of finding crime and punishing the criminals. 
If you hear anything to the contrary please let me know, but until then
please don't label him like that.

>Suppose that someone who read Mr. Goetz's story doesn't  like 
>large WASP types with a dark beard and a female campanion:
>"Oh.  He's big and ugly, and she's a different race.  He MUST be
>holding her against her will!.  BANG****"  the person feels threatened by survivalists, or gun fanciers, or blacks,
>or whatever.  BANG!  >  (Not to imply that I am any of those listed in
>the paranthetical comment. No judgement is involved.)

Do you really think that Goetz was judging his attackers? I think he was
just defending his life the best way he knew how.

>"But Judge, your honor, maam/sir, I felt REALLY threatened, after all,
>he was almost as big, strong, and heavy as I am"
>"Fine, sonny, it was an accident that he was a leading research scientist
>in this esoteric subject I can't pronounce so it couldn't be
>too important.  Not guilty!"

The man was not faced with a one on one confrontation. He was faced with
FOUR of these animals.

>I think it's clear that one should be quite permitted to save one's self
>in a potentially injurious situation. It should also be encumbent on 
>the individual to be as slightly injurious as possible.  

Faced with the four of them, do you realy think he had the time to pick
which parts of the bodys to shoot and do the least amount of injury?

I think Goetz should be punished, but only for having an unregistered gun.
Give him the fine, make sure his gun is registered, and let the poor man
alone.