Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA12429 (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 15:06:31 GMT X-Originating-IP: [137.110.248.206] From: "Grant Callaghan" <grantc4@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: RE: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence Date: Fri, 01 Mar 2002 07:01:06 -0800 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <LAW2-F50O9lTXeo6fQS000010df@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 01 Mar 2002 15:01:07.0309 (UTC) FILETIME=[EA6461D0:01C1C131] 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.
>
How about if someone attacks you or your country? Are you allowed to defend
yourself with force? What are most of the laws in our respective countries
but tools with which to defend our property from others? The weapons may be
different, but the intent is the same. Most of those laws, in my opinion,
were made to prevent people from killing each other. Amongst the lawless,
that is still the rule. But the need and desire to defend our property is
coded into the law to keep us from doing what comes naturally.
cheers,
Grant
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