Subject:
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Re: Misperceptions of America (Was: Conversation w/ a LEGO Rep)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 1 Sep 1999 01:11:12 GMT
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Reply-To:
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cjc@newsguy.comANTISPAM
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Viewed:
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1969 times
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Christopher Weeks <clweeks@eclipse.net> wrote:
> > > raging hormones (me again), and is duped by youthful stupidity into
> > > killing some particularly obnoxious peer (I didn't do this part). Now,
> >
> > That's one heckuva weird scenario.
>
> What's so weird about it? Seriously.
What's so weird? The actually following through on thoughts of
killing someone, I suppose.
> > I probably fit into most of that as well, and I don't ever recall
> > being put into a situation where peer pressure or anything else might
> > have suggested that I murder someone.
>
> Really? I got angry at people from time to time. I took myself way too
> seriously, and essentially plotted murder on a couple of occasions.
> When the littleton killings took place, I thought 'there, but for the
> grace of God, go I.' I never killed anyone and I'm glad, but to some
> degree I think it was more luck than some innate value.
I'd like to think otherwise, myself. The few times in my childhood
and adult life that I have been truly angry enough to want to do
physical harm to someone, I've just done it. Every one of those times
were, in most respects, self-defense. Probably _could_ have walked
away from a couple of the earlier ones (14 & 17) but I'd walked away
from a few too many in those schools/neighborhoods and needed to
settle things once and for all.
Never even remotely wanted to kill anyone. Well, I take that back.
There was a time a few years ago when Rachael was run over by someone
on a bicycle that I did actually entertain the thought of finding the
guy and shooting him, but I'd say reason (and Rachael) set in after
about a minute and convinced me otherwise.
Well, and just to be honest, I did actually look into having the "man"
who was beating my cousin put down, but I don't think of him as a
human being, so I don't really think that counts.
> And if my feeling above is true, and we can (I hope) agree that I
> shouldn't be put down by the system out of hand, then why if I had
> slipped up, or been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Slipped up? I'm still trying to grasp a situation in which one "slips
up" and commits premeditated murder. Gets man, sure. Maybe thinks
he's made enough to kill someone (and I know it's "cool" for kids to
think the bull they're going through is important enough to die over,
but it isn't, and it wasn't when I was a kid) - sure. But actually
does it? That's not slipping up - that's murder.
So yes, if, for just about any reason, when you were a teen, you had
"slipped up" and murdered someone, in a world where *I* make the
rules, we wouldn't be discussing this right now, because you'd be
word-food.
Luckily you didn't. And I have to say I doubt you ever seriously
plotted anyone's murder. I was picked on through most of my childhood
for one reason or another, endured some pretty horrible (imo at the
time) stuff, and never considered killing someone while I was going
through it.
Getting back at the responsible parties in other ways? You betcha.
LOTS of other ways. Murder? Nah...
> > No. Murder is final. No second chance, no reformation, no getting
> > better. You commit murder (true murder, not justifiable homicides)
> > and you lose all priveleges as a human being, in my mind.
>
> Why? How broad is justifiable? You cite battered women, and I think of
> that as an extreme of where murder is justifiable, not a maybe point.
Dunno how broad. I'm no lawyer, or legal theorist, really. I forget
what I said about battered women, but just to be clear, I'd never
convict a woman of killing a man who beats her. I doubt I'd convict
friend or relative for doing it either. Wife/girlfiend-beaters aren't
people.
> > Dunno. I think that scenario you described is a little too strange to
> > really think about.
>
> Again, I'm interested to know what's so strange about it.
I guess the thought that any normal teen would plot murder. I don't
think it happens much. I WAS a normal teen. I know normal teens. I
know a half dozen teens who killed themselves, but not a single one
who killed, or, I think, wanted (truly - not a passing thought) to
kill anyone else.
--
The parts you want and nothing else?
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Why pay eBay? Run your own LEGO auctions for free!
http://www.guarded-inn.com/bricks/ (still in Beta)
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