[thechat] Bowling for Columbine

Bob Davis bob at bobdavis.org
Tue Jan 28 18:54:00 CST 2003


On Tuesday, January 28, 2003, at 09:56  AM, Madhu Menon wrote:

> 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!
>

Bingo. Or they can rape you, or they can (whatever - something
unpleasant).

They're too unpredictable. Someone willing to break into my house might
be willing to do any number of things. I'm not willing to find out what
they'd do given the opportunity.

>
>> 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.
>

+1.

> 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?
>

How about this :

Robber hears the sound of a shotgun breech being closed and runs. Gun
saved you and never got shot.

>
>> 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.
>
>

right.

>> 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...
>

Read the papers.

Our criminals are not nice people.

bob




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