Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watarts.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watarts!kevyn From: kevyn@watarts.UUCP (KCT) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Message-ID: <8214@watarts.UUCP> Date: Sun, 13-Jan-85 23:26:09 EST Article-I.D.: watarts.8214 Posted: Sun Jan 13 23:26:09 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 14-Jan-85 04:29:29 EST References: <118@decwrl.UUCP> <210@talcott.UUCP> <704@hou2h.UUCP> <809@pucc-k> <1157@teddy.UUCP> Organization: U of Waterloo, Faculty of Mathematics Lines: 57 > In article <809@pucc-k> agz@pucc-k (Andrew Banta) writes: > >[] > > > >This is entirely irrelevant! Who was Goetz to judge if they could have > >or couldn't have? There are a lot of people who I don't think have ever > >or will ever contribute to society. I don't solve this with a gun. > > Their contribution to society is irrelevant, but for different reasons. > I think Goetz was thinking about survival, not the muggers' worth in society. > > >> I think he should have killed all 4. People (People ?) will then think > >> twice before mugging, killing, raping ..... > > > >Sick, sick, sick. The instant-justice death penalty for a $5 mugging. > >The way I heard it, they didn't even threaten him, just asked (a bit > >strange, I admit). But I'm sure that there are people who believe that > >they were ready to rip his eyes out if he didn't pay ... > > Mabey they were. Why did they have the sharpened screwdrivers? > > >Why don't you face up to the fact that what Goetz did was WRONG! > > Why don't YOU face up to the fact that Goetz was defending himself and > the kids are the real criminals! > > >should press every one of them. Maybe it'll teach people to use the > >justice system we have in the US and not create their own. In case you > >hadn't realized it, vigilantes are at least as dangerous as other > >criminals! > > Right, I'm sure Goetz was thinking "Hmm these boys have no worth, and > they tried to mug me. The punishment in my personal justice system is > that one of them should be maimed." Give me a break! > Vigilantes??? Andy, the guy didn't hunt them down, they came and mugged > HIM! He was just defending his life! If he were a vigilante he would have > killed all four! I can't tell you what the solution to this dilemma is, of course, but I can say this: In my view, Goetz was wrong to have a gun. Someone was wrong in allowing him to obtain one. The "System" was wrong in allowing him to possess one. Quite a bit must be wrong if a) criminals exist in such large numbers b) children need to turn to crime c) guns (and other weapons) exist in such large numbers. I have always, in the event of a robbery, simply submitted, and done whatever was asked. If the robbers had decided, and tried, to kill me, I would have obviously defended myself, since, above all stupid "material" things, my life is the one thing I prize. I would not have sought to kill my attacker(s) but simply stop them from harming my own or other people's lives. Neither I nor the world has anything to gain from the loss of life anywhere. I am not saying this is what Goetz should have done, but only what I have done in the past and will continue to do in the future. Kevyn Collins-Thompson University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, CANADA !! ....{allegra|clyde|utzoo|ihnp4|decvax}!watmath!watarts!kevyn