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Path: utzoo!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh
From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Goetz annoying after awhile....
Message-ID: <328@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-Jan-85 10:55:59 EST
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.328
Posted: Wed Jan 23 10:55:59 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Jan-85 10:32:24 EST
References: <3279@alice.UUCP> <1168@teddy.UUCP> <318@cybvax0.UUCP> <4293@ucbvax.ARPA>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 32
Summary: 

In article <4293@ucbvax.ARPA> wildbill@ucbvax.UUCP (Bill Laubenheimer) writes:
> Under the standards of the jungle law that seems to govern parts of the NYC area
> these days, most groups of the sort encountered by Mr. Goetz regard an
> attack on any of their members as an attack upon the entire group. Therefore,
> Goetz, thinking that he had been placed in a situation where his life
> was in jeopardy from this group or a member thereof, and choosing to meet
> this threat by shooting a member of the group, at that time placed himself
> in mortal jeopardy from all members of that group. In order to remove himself
> from this position of mortal jeopardy, Goetz would have to arrest or
> incapacitate every member of that group. Any member of that group left at
> large would probably consider himself bound to attempt to kill Goetz in
> order to satisfy group honor, probably making such attempt before Goetz
> left the subway system.
> Glad I don't live in NYC,

What we have here, is a classic example of ignorant prejudice.

The four involved have not been reported to have any association with any gangs.
Yet Bill's fantasies stop little short of beating the jungle drums and
chases through the subways with poison arrows.

Goetz did not claim he mistook them for gang members in his confession.
He's already made his own excuses.  You needn't speculatively fabricate
more for him, unless you wish to publish in advance an explanation for your
own future behavior.

I hated living in NYC, and can sympathize with the fears involved.
I think it wrong that the justice system is so lax.  And I think it wrong
that Goetz took the law into his own hands.
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh