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Path: utzoo!utcsstat!laura
From: laura@utcsstat.UUCP (Laura Creighton)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: why wouldn't criminals use their gun - (nf)
Message-ID: <1141@utcsstat.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Oct-83 22:40:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.1141
Posted: Mon Oct  3 22:40:01 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Oct-83 02:05:47 EDT
References: <3067@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: U. of Toronto, Canada
Lines: 44

Perhaps there are different sorts of criminals in different sorts of the
world. Around here, if you believe certain sources, the consensus is that
there are a lot (it is argued that it is the majority) of criminals who
appreciate wanton destruction. The people who rob a store, and then
burn it, who rape and assault people in the streets, and the drunks who
are regualrily found beaten up seem to provide hard evidence that there
are some people who are not 'simple businessmen' who are not interested
in killing people.

When my brother went to jail, I got to know a lot of criminals. I think
that many of them have been idealised by the press and by movies. They are
not intelligent Robert Redfords all, you know. There are a lot of people
who can only be described as evil -- they have no respect for other people,
let alone other people's property. They talk about getting out on bail,
getting drunk, and then beating up drunks. They claim that they get so
stoned before going out on a crime so that they can get an added thrill
in the destruction they cause. 

Recently the Toronto headlines said that 40% of all burglaries in Toronto
(Ontario?) were done by people on bail for previous burglaries. And there
is an increase in 'arson for fun' on the part of newly released ex-cons.

Now, the problem I see is that I have to live in this town. So does my
80 year old grandmother. What is going to stop us from being raped and
murdered? (They rape old ladies here. A nursing home was broken into
by 4 drunks a few months back. It did not receive much publicity). The
effectiveness of the police must be questioned in a town where drunks,
prostitutes, members of certain minority groups, and members of certain
religions have lodged numerous complaints of assault. 

There is no one left to protect us but ourselves. And I do not see my 80
year old grandmother becoming an expert in combat disciplines. Would she be
better off with a gun? Or is she to join the ranks of the senior citizens
that do not go downtown at night? This would mean that she could not get
to a concert or opera, or visit her friends at night, and she keeps hacker's
hours... Don't ask her to get a *CAR*, because she finds them morally
objectionable (along with anything else that pollutes) and also that will
thus make freedom of movement available only for the rich.

She is considering getting a large dog. What other alternatives are there
for an independant and active 80 year old? 

Laura Creighton
utzoo!utcsstat!laura