Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site hou5a.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!hou5h!hou5a!hbb
From: hbb@hou5a.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Re: Clar ... gun' -BAH HUMBUG! - (nf)
Message-ID: <407@hou5a.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Oct-83 13:05:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou5a.407
Posted: Tue Oct  4 13:05:32 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Oct-83 00:09:29 EDT
References: <3026@uiucdcs.UUCP>, <685@hou5d.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 38

The Duke of deNet states:

       "Is is true that you are more likely to be killed  resisting  that
	cooperating.   On  the other hand, if you increase the chances of
	killing the criminal, you decrease the chance  that  he  will  be
	able  to  commit  the  dozens  of crimes a week that he otherwise
	might."

This  opinion  appears  to  advocate   voluntary   sacrifice   by
individuals  of  their  lives,  so  that the masses will benefit.

Although the logic seems straight-forward,    (forward  in  that:
        a) there  would  be fewer criminals that would risk their
	   well being than there  would  be  criminals  operating
	   under  more  pleasant circumstances,
        b) dead criminals commit fewer crimes than live ones),

there is a flaw in it. To me, it seems  inappropriate  to  advise
people that a reasonable course of action to a crime situation is
to resist and risk personal injury or death, especially  if  they
will  not  benefit  from  their  actions  (dead  victims will not
benefit from  the  supposed  decreased  criminal  activity  their
resistance may have brought about).

If you attempt to save your radio from a criminal,  and  you  are
killed,  it  is  not  likely  that your actions will have had any
significant negative impact on the criminal  world.   Of  course,
neither   are  you  making any significant negative impact on the
criminal world if you cooperate. Nevertheless, you are more  than
likely  to   still be alive and well.

I consider that to be one's main objective when encountering such
an  event  -  saving  one's self.

sorry Mark.

Harlan Braude
hou5a!hbb