Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id IAA11534 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 1 Mar 2002 08:57:21 GMT From: <dgatherer@talk21.com> X-Mailer: talk21 v1.24 - http://talk21.btopenworld.com To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk X-Talk21Ref: none Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2002 08:51:16 GMT Subject: RE: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence Message-Id: <20020301085158.SSAS11841.wmpmta01-app.mail-store.com@wmpmtavirtual> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Grant:
Even the laws of most countries make allowances for people when they defend
"my home, my family, my children, my beliefs, my property." If you shoot a
stranger on the street, you go to jail for murder. If you shoot a stranger
in your home or while they are attacking your children, or your person, it
is called self defense and not prosecuted. There are no limits to what I
can do in defense of what is "mine."
Derek:
On the contrary, what you describe is virtually uinique to the USA. Both Ecuador and the UK (where I have some personal experience) would put you behind bars for a very long time if you shoot somebody just because they are intruders on your property. The situation in the USA is a historical relic of the time when cowboys had to forcibly clear stray indians off their ranches. The law had to be made so that they could do this without ending up in court every other day. It's a historical accident, not a cultural universal.
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