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From: cramer@kontron.UUCP
Newsgroups: soc.women,soc.singles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: My problems with rape (or why my views are so different from
Message-ID: <1089@kontron.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 27-Sep-86 20:44:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: kontron.1089
Posted: Sat Sep 27 20:44:44 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 30-Sep-86 01:07:38 EDT
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> > > Rapists shot dead cease to be a societal problem.
> > 
> > Likewise murderers executed, etc.  
> 
> Likewise robbers, drug pushers, extortionists, shoplifters,
> illegal parkers, jaywalkers, and politicians.
> 
> You might also point out that accused (but innocent) people
> also cease to be a societal problem if shot dead.  Just think
> of all your tax dollars that this would save!  No more courts
> with highly-paid judges (and lowly-paid stenographers) getting
> a ride on your taxes!  No more expensive jails to keep up!
> 
> As a 6'1", 200-lb male who has often heard women say how
> intimidating it is when a man looks at them from across
> the street, I somehow feel very unsafe right now.  Maybe
> I should just shoot myself, before one of you decides to
> do the job and prevent me from committing a crime.  After 
> all, if I commit suicide, I won't be a societal problem, 
> either.  (Well, someone would have to bury me; maybe I 
> should find a way that leaves no body.)
> 
> 	John M Chambers 

Unfortunately, the level of irrationality that John is concerned about is
a problem AFTER someone has been victimized.  Would I encourage a woman
(or for that matter, a man) who had been victimized on the street to carry
a gun?  No, not until they had recovered from the trauma enough to NOT
consider everyone a potential attacker.  But most people, until they have
been victimized, do not consider ANY form of self-defense, armed or unarmed.
And thus, the people most likely to make rational decisions about whether
they are in danger of great bodily harm are the ones least likely to be
armed.

But if John doesn't realize that MOST people (probably 99%) can tell the
difference between immediate danger, and feeling uncomfortable, I'm
inclined to think this problem is mostly John's.

Clayton E. Cramer