[thechat] Bowling for Columbine

Madhu Menon webguru at vsnl.net
Tue Jan 28 10:17:04 CST 2003


At 08:29 PM 28-01-03, Lachlan Cannon wrote:

>Robber feels less threatened so is less likely to
>fire. Also, robber doesn't see a need to discharge their weapon, and if
>there's a possibility they could get charged for breaking and entering
>why the hell would they want to add murder to it?

Big assumption there. That said robber acts in predictable ways i.e., won't
hurt you unless you pick a fight first. But this isn't a normal person
you're talking about; it's a criminal. They don't always act logically.
They might kill you anyway because you can... identify them!


>Plus I find people justifying killing abhorrent. Sure, have that robber
>tracked down and pay the appropriate punishment for he did, but can you
>really justify *killing* someone, even if they have entered your house?

Yes, I could.
I consider self-defense acceptable. Protecting one's young is a natural
instinct hard-wired into many species.
If it's a "my family or the robber" situation, I'd go with "my family"
without blinking.

How about this: robber has knife and decides to slit your throat. You have
gun but would rather not use it because you don't want to "kill anyone".
What are your choices?


>Without a weapon I'd be more likely to run... which one
>leaves me safer?

Another assumption that this gentle robber would just let you run. He's a
criminal, not a "normal" person. He might just shoot you anyway.


>the only time a weapon would help would be if someone
>specifically wanted me dead... not a likely scenario, afaik.

You haven't run into hardened criminals who have little regard for life.

I would tell you the story of a gang of thieves here in Bangalore that used
to rob houses, slit the throats of the males, rape the women, then kill
them, and run off. It's horrifying. They were finally caught. But my
fingers are tired...

Regards,

Madhu

<<<   *   >>>
Madhu Menon
Internet User Experience Consultant
e-mail: webguru at vsnl.net   |   Yahoo messenger: cold_logic

Content * Interfaces * Usability * Net Strategy




More information about the thechat mailing list