From: Charlie Stross (charlie@antipope.org)
Date: Fri Feb 09 2001 - 15:51:33 MST
On Fri, Feb 09, 2001 at 12:45:01PM -0500, Michael Lorrey wrote:
> >
> > I notice that Americans seem to be fanatical about defending their
> > property -- to the use of lethal force. My take on it is that *no*
> > property is worth risking your life -- or anyone else's life, for
> > that matter. Lost or stolen property can be replaced: lives can't.
> > Another cultural marker ...
>
> What about suicide? Are you for or against? If you are for the right to
> suicide, then regard a criminal wilfully placing themselves in a
> position to be killed as exercising their right to suicide in a manner
> similar to 'suicide by cop'.
I'm for the right to suicide -- but not for "suicide by cop", which is
grossly unfair (not to say dangerous) to the cops concerned.
But I note a subtle skew in your question: "regard a criminal wilfully
placing themselves in a position to be killed as exercising their right
to suicide ..." This assumes that the person committing a criminal act
_intends_ to die in the process. I don't buy this; it's not a likely
situation. We can't attribute intentions to someone who's dead which are
at odds with their apparent actions, and if the actions look like a bank
robbery, then I see it as a bank robbery rather than a suicide attempt.
-- Charlie
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