Re: Arguing with Ogres
Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 5:05 am
100% with NPR on this one.
Police operate with "sovereign immunity." If PO goes into situation and mistakenly shoots bearded middle aged guy with a tan who turns out to be one of the hostages, and doesn't engage young woman terrorist, too bad, so sad. It was an unfortunate bit of collateral damage in a tense situation.
If you or I make the same mistake, the best case is our assets are now transferred to the bearded middle aged guy's next of kin. Our worst case is we are doing hard time for 2nd degree murder.
What about WROL situation?
In that case, every person in our community is a militiaman and constable. If hostage taker is still alive, it's because the hostages aren't members of our community. As Clint said, "He should've armed himself ... "
But we are not without heart. We would explain to hostage taker that in our little community we don't have proscriptions against cruel and unusual punishment. If he lets the hostages go, we'll just hang him. For every hostage that dies, we'll have to work our imaginations to come up with ways to make his death last longer.
No need to risk any lives. Just grill some hot dogs, pop a few cold beers, and wait.
Police operate with "sovereign immunity." If PO goes into situation and mistakenly shoots bearded middle aged guy with a tan who turns out to be one of the hostages, and doesn't engage young woman terrorist, too bad, so sad. It was an unfortunate bit of collateral damage in a tense situation.
If you or I make the same mistake, the best case is our assets are now transferred to the bearded middle aged guy's next of kin. Our worst case is we are doing hard time for 2nd degree murder.
What about WROL situation?
In that case, every person in our community is a militiaman and constable. If hostage taker is still alive, it's because the hostages aren't members of our community. As Clint said, "He should've armed himself ... "
But we are not without heart. We would explain to hostage taker that in our little community we don't have proscriptions against cruel and unusual punishment. If he lets the hostages go, we'll just hang him. For every hostage that dies, we'll have to work our imaginations to come up with ways to make his death last longer.
No need to risk any lives. Just grill some hot dogs, pop a few cold beers, and wait.